• President Trump fired the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Friday night.
• His public removal coincided with the defense secretary's firing of five other top officers.
• Several lawmakers, including military veterans, expressed alarm.

The White House ousted the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., which was followed by a string of firings in the Pentagon's most senior ranks that alarmed lawmakers.

In a press release posted Friday night, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also removed the chief of naval operations and the Air Force vice chief of staff, Adm. Lisa Franchetti and Gen. James Slife, respectively, as well as the top military lawyers for the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

The removals of confirmed leaders deepen the turmoil at the Pentagon, which faces deep cuts to its civilian workforce and budget shifts that Trump officials say are to align with the new administration's priorities. Nearly 5,400 probationary employees within the DoD may face job termination next week, part of a larger slew of cuts that could total around 55,000 civilian military employees.

Friday night firings

In his Truth Social announcement, President Donald Trump did not provide a reason for the removal of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who serves as the president's top military advisor, nor did he explain the move to replace Brown with a retired general.

Brown is a fighter pilot, and only the second African American to hold the chairman position. After the police killing of George Floyd in 2020, Brown spoke out publicly about his personal experiences facing racial discrimination as an airman. Before his most recent role, Brown was Chief of Staff of the US Air Force, making him the first African-American service chief.

Trump said that he would nominate retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Caine to take on the role of chairman of the joint chiefs. This is a position that would need to be confirmed by the GOP-led Senate.

Brown wasn't the only trailblazing military officer among the leaders terminated Friday. Franchetti was the first woman to lead the Navy and the first-ever female military leader to be part of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Prior to his confirmation, Hegseth had called for the removal of both Brown and Franchetti.

She is the most recent female leader to be sacked as the new administration shakes up the government. Shortly after taking office, Trump officials relieved Coast Guard leader Adm. Linda F. Fagan, the first woman to lead a branch of the US armed forces.

Lawmakers sound the alarm

Hegseth's press release on the DoD leadership changes also asked for nominations for the Judge Advocates General for the Army, Navy and Air Force, positions responsible for advising military commanders on whether orders are lawful.

These moves alarmed some lawmakers like Colorado Democrat Rep. Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger, who noted their crucial role in applying the law to orders.

"Under President Trump, we are putting in place new leadership that will focus our military on its core mission of deterring, fighting and winning wars," the press release read.

Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Democratic Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island said in a statement Friday night that the dismissals appear to be "part of a broader, premeditated campaign" by Trump and Hegseth to "purge talented officers for politically charged reasons, which would undermine the professionalism of our military."

Other veterans in Congress criticized the unprecedented mass firings of top military officers.

"What Trump and Hegseth are doing is un-American, unpatriotic," wrote Rep. Seth Moulton, a Democrat from Massachusetts and a former Marine officer. "It's [the] definition of politicizing our military, and we should expect to see loyalty oaths (not to the Constitution) and worse coming soon."

"In case anyone is wondering ... this isn't normal," Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a former Army National Guard soldier, said. "No, this is the work of a wanna-be dictator. By firing our top military leaders and installing his own personal yes-men, Trump is making America less safe."

• In a Friday ruling Judge Carl Nichols allowed President Donald Trump to resume putting USAID employees on leave.
• Nichols reversed a prior order halting the plans, saying the plaintiffs "overstated" the need for intervention.
• USAID workers may still prevail as the case progresses, but the agency is left gutted for now.

After being targeted in the DOGE office's efforts to cut federal spending and root out waste, USAID on Friday lost a major court battle, leaving the international aid agency gutted while legal challenges play out.

US District Judge Carl Nichols, in his Friday ruling, allowed President Donald Trump's staff reductions at USAID to proceed, reversing his prior order to halt them pending a request for a temporary injunction brought by the American Federation of Government Employees, a union that represents about 800,000 federal workers, and the American Foreign Service Association.

Nichols had previously issued a temporary restraining order in the case, forcing the staff reductions to stop while he considered the plaintiffs' argument that an agency shutdown and the immediate recall of international employees back to the US would cause irreparable harm to the employees and their families, who are stationed abroad in service of the agency's humanitarian missions.

"The Court was concerned by this alleged harm when issuing the TRO: it observed that recalling employees on such short notice could subject them to non-financial injuries—like harms to the continuity of their healthcare and their children's education—that no future lawsuit could redress," Nichols wrote in his Friday ruling. "But again, the government's subsequent submissions have convinced the Court that plaintiffs' initial assertions of harm were overstated."

While the USAID workers may still prevail as the case progresses through court — some legal scholars have argued Trump's cuts to federal agencies are "flatly illegal" — the rescinded temporary restraining order leaves the aid agency with the bulk of its US employees on administrative leave.

"We are disappointed in today's decision and believe the harms faced by USAID workers are real," Skye Perryman, CEO of Democracy Forward, the legal services firm representing the USAID workers, said in a statement. "We remain confident that the court will find the administration's efforts to decimate USAID contrary to law. We will continue to pursue all legal options in this case in order to ensure the safety of Americans at home and abroad."

Representatives for the White House and the plaintiffs' legal team did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

President Trump fired Joint Chiefs of Staff chair Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown, Jr. and other top military leaders on Friday.

The big picture: The terminations, also reaching Adm. Lisa Franchetti and Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Slife, come amid the Trump administration's mass firings and pushback against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

• Brown is the first Black chief of staff of the Air Force and the second Black general to serve as chairman, following Colin Powell.
• Franchetti is the first woman to serve as the highest-ranking officer of the U.S. Navy.
• Brown, Franchetti and Slife were all nominated to their roles by former President Biden.

Catch up quick: Trump has claimed the military's leadership is too heavily focused on diversity issues, and he signed an executive order on January 27 directing the Department of Defense to ax DEI programs.

Zoom in: Trump didn't say why the military leaders were being fired but thanked Brown for more than 40 years of service to the United States, calling him "a fine gentleman and an outstanding leader" in a Truth Social post.

• Trump went on to nominate Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine for Joint Chief of Staffs chair, claiming he "was passed over for promotion" by Biden.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Franchetti and Slife's terminations by saying he was seeking nominations for their positions in a statement Friday.
• "Under President Trump," he said, "we are putting in place new leadership that will focus our military on its core mission of deterring, fighting and winning wars."

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional terminations.

If you have travel plans for May or beyond, check your ID to see if it meets federal requirements.

Why it matters: Starting May 7, a Real ID compliant license or identification card — or another acceptable document — is needed to board a commercial aircraft in the U.S.

• The guidelines also apply when visiting military bases and secure federal buildings like courthouses.

What is a Real ID?

The big picture: A Real ID is a state-issued driver's license or identification card that meets federal security standards.

• Compliant IDs are typically marked with a star in the upper right corner, though the specific design may vary by state.

When is the Real ID deadline?

Threat level: May 7 is the enforcement deadline for Real ID after years of delays.

• The Department of Homeland Security estimates that 61.2% of Real IDs, relative to all driver's license and identification in circulation, will be Real ID-compliant by May 7, according to a final rule published in January.

Real ID Act of 2005

Flashback: Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005 after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, seeking to beef up security surrounding IDs used at airports.

• The law was scheduled to be enforced in 2008 but has been delayed many times.
• All states were compliant for issuing Real IDs in 2020 but many states were in compliance earlier.
• In 2022, the enforcement deadline was extended to May 2025.

When you need a Real ID and when you don't

Zoom in: You need a Real ID if:

• You travel on a plane in the U.S. (and don't have a valid passport or other acceptable ID),
• Visit a military base or a secure federal building like a courthouse or
• Enter nuclear power plants.

Zoom out: You don't need a Real ID to drive, vote or open a bank account.

• TSA does not require children under 18 to provide identification when traveling within the count

How to get a Real ID, DMV appointments

How it works: Go to your state's driver's licensing agency website to find out exactly what documentation is required to obtain a Real ID.

• In some states, you can order a Real ID and others you'll need to make an appointment with the local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Between the lines: Federal and state officials are urging people to upgrade their IDs now so they're prepared for the upcoming deadline.

• Last-minute surges in demand for Real IDs are expected ahead of the deadline.
• Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said Thursday that state facilities are seeing "unprecedented" traffic for Real ID appointments, NBC Chicago reports.

Real ID requirements

State of play: DHS says at a minimum you must provide documentation that shows your full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, two proofs of address of principal address and lawful status, DHS says.

• Find your states' requirements and how to get a Real ID on this DHS page.
• Check out Axios Local guides for getting a Real ID in the following cities: Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Richmond and Seattle.

Real ID alternatives include passport

What we're watching: The Transportation Security Association says there are other forms of acceptable identification to show at the airport checkpoint in order to travel.

• Enhanced Driver's Licenses (EDL) issued by Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Vermont are also considered acceptable alternatives.
• U.S. passport or passport card and DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
• Permanent resident card
• Find the TSA's full list of acceptable identification here.

Will the Real ID deadline be extended again?

The latest: Another extension isn't expected but TSA published a final rule in January that provides a "framework for federal agency phased enforcement" of Real ID requirements starting May 7.

• TSA has not made a final decision on an exact phased approach, an agency spokesperson told Axios.

What happens if you don't have a Real ID after May 7

What's next: "Travelers who fly after May 7, 2025 and still do not possess a REAL ID are strongly encouraged to use their U.S. passport or other acceptable form of ID when flying domestically," the TSA spokesperson told Axios.

• "TSA also recommends that these passengers arrive a little earlier than normal to allow time for the identity verification process."

Long lines and airport delays are expected.

• "TSA recommends individuals without acceptable identification arrive at least three hours in advance of their flight time," the government agency said.

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• Wendy's hosts Girl Scout cookie sales, debuts Thin Mints Frosty
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• I'm the mom of five kids, including teenagers.
• If my kids have no obligations, I let them sleep in as much as they want.
• People have said I'm letting be lazy, but I'm doing it for their health.

Last week, here in Michigan, my children had three "cold days" in a row — with temperatures falling below -20 degrees Fahrenheit, our school district canceled school.

And on those days, as any day that they don't have school or other obligations, I let my teenagers sleep in as long as they wanted.

They have to wake up so early on school days

One teen roused fairly early, around 9 a.m., while the other didn't wake until nearly noon. I wasn't fazed in the slightest. On normal school days, my kids have to get up before 6 a.m., which they do all on their own, but on weekends, off-days, and during the summer months, I do not control my teens' bedtimes or waketimes.

I always encourage them to sleep as much as possible because I believe that sleep is one of the most important things they need, especially at their age.

Some parents might disagree with me and encourage strict wake-ups, even over the summer, but in our family, my teenagers can't possibly get anywhere near the recommended hours of sleep on a regular basis. Between school, sports, work, and family commitments, most nights they are lucky to get six to seven hours, and if I'm being honest, some nights it's even less than that.

I'm aware of the science that says that teens' brains are wired to stay up later and sleep in, but unfortunately, our school district — like many — just can't accommodate a schedule that supports their sleep. We live in a rural area where a lot of kids depend on busing, so the bus schedule dictates the school schedule, which means very early wake-up times.

They are not lazy

There's not a lot I can do to create more hours of sleep for them at night during the school year, but what I do is always encourage them to sleep as much as they want all other days of the year. I've heard people call teens lazy for sleeping in so much, but to me, it's about supporting their health in a very basic way. I want my teens to understand and emphasize the importance of sleep, especially as they grow into adults.

Part of my motivation is also selfish. I am personally someone who has always needed a lot of sleep to function, so just in case they turn out like me, I want them to know it's okay to be someone who needs a lot of sleep. Years of sleep deprivation as a mother severely impacted my physical and mental health, yet I've always felt guilty anytime I needed more sleep or "let" my husband help me at night.

So far, my strategy is working. My teens are responsible, do well in school, work side jobs when they want spending money, and have no problem regulating their own sleep. I do set some boundaries that I also use to support a healthy sleep environment: their phones have auto bedtimes that I control (weekdays have earlier times than weekends), their bedrooms are kept screen-free, and I instituted white noise habits from the time they were babies.

I'm not naive enough to think it's all my strategic parenting or merit that has granted me children who can sleep in or regulate their sleep schedules.

Everyone and every family is different, of course. My goal is not to shame any family whose teens aren't able to sleep in on a whim; my goal is simply to make sure my teens never feel shamed for sleeping in.