Are Trump's military picks based on merit or loyalty?

On Friday, Donald Trump fired Chairman of the Joint Chief's of Staff CQ Brown, along with several other top Pentagon officials. <br /><br />Now, Senator Jack Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island, has a question for the man tapped to succeed him, Retired Air Force Lieutenant General Dan Caine.<br /><br />Quote — "will he have the ability to speak truth to power?" <br />Senator Reed is the top democrat on the Armed Services Committee. <br /><br />The Trump administration says it wants a military built on meritocracy. Critics say it's building one governed by political loyalty.<br /><br />For sponsor-free episodes of <em>Consider This,</em> sign up for C<em>onsider This+</em> via Apple Podcasts or at <a href="http://plus.npr.org">plus.npr.org</a>.<br /><br />Email us at<a href="mailto:considerthis@npr.org"> considerthis@npr.org</a>.