Fox Nation special explores Dan 'Razin' Caine's journey from F-16 pilot to chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Who is Dan 'Razin' Caine? Fox Nation special dives into the life of Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman
Fox Nation special explores the life of Dan 'Razin' Caine, who was appointed by President Donald Trump to lead the Joint Chiefs.
Who is Dan "Razin" Caine? The retired fighter pilot and CIA vet-turned chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has brought vision, grit and outsider energy to America's top military job after President Donald Trump tapped him for the position in an "unprecedented move."
Now his military experience and journey to the top are the focus of a Fox Nation original explaining who he is.
Hosted by Marine Corps veteran and Fox News contributor Johnny "Joey" Jones, the special installment features perspectives from military analysts and experts familiar with Caine and the gravity of his role, including the likes of former Navy fighter pilot Matthew "Whiz" Buckley, former senior enlisted advisor to the chairman Ramon "CZ" Colon-Lopez and former State Department senior advisor Christian Whiton.
"Whenever something goes wrong in the world, the first question that the president asks is, ‘Where is the nearest aircraft carrier?’ And the person he's going to ask that of is his chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff," Buckley said.
GENERAL WHO HELPED TRUMP DECIMATE ISIS TERRORISTS IN FIRST TERM CONFIRMED AS JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN
Dan 'Razin' Caine, President Donald Trump's chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, boasts an expansive resume rife with military experience. (Fox Nation)
As Jones put it, Caine is "the guy in charge of the guys in charge." His role was created decades ago to unify U.S. defense organizations and was first held by legendary World War II general Omar N. Bradley.
Fast-forward to February 2025 when, during his second administration, President Donald Trump appointed Caine to the position in a shock to the establishment.
Sitting before the Senate during his confirmation hearing this year, Caine acknowledged the fact.
"I acknowledge that I am an unconventional nominee, but these are unconventional times," he said.
His appointment marked the first time a president had pulled an officer out of retirement for the role, and Trump was quick to tout his confidence that Caine, along with other Defense Department leaders, would fulfill his "peace through strength" mission.
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US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine hold a joint press conference at the Pentagon press briefing room in Washington DC, United States on June 26, 2025. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)
But before stepping into the largest role of his life, Caine offered a life of service to the country in other ways.
As the new special explores, after graduating from Virginia Military Institute in 1990, he followed in his father's footsteps and became an F-16 fighter pilot.
He logged thousands of flight hours and eventually earned his nickname.
"We're all familiar with what ‘raising Cain’ means, meaning that you're going haywire…" Colon-Lopez said.
"But in that calm, poised shell that you see, there's fire inside there, and it's almost like a volcano waiting to erupt, and when that man goes off, he goes off," he added.
Colon-Lopez went on to call Caine's nickname "well-earned," saying he feels for any enemies that try to test him.
During the first Gulf War, he was tasked with a top-secret mission to neutralize the threat of Saddam Hussein's scud missiles, minimizing their threat in the second Gulf War while, at the same time, gaining experience by communicating across departments.
On September 11, 2001, Caine led F-16 combat patrols over Washington, D.C. with a critical mission to defend the nation's capital in the midst of fear and uncertainty.
The mission left him with a heavy call to make should he or his crew encounter any commercial airlines flying illicitly.
Beyond that, he became a White House fellow and helped coordinate the federal response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, worked with the Department of Homeland Security, specializing in counterterrorism, before serving part-time in the National Guard and delving into entrepreneurship and national security roles in the private sector.
More recently, Caine stood beside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon following Operation Midnight Hammer, the U.S.'s surprise attacks on key Iranian nuclear sites, detailing the intricate operation before the American public.
For more information about Caine's expansive list of skills and accomplishments as well as the top-secret efforts he guided, subscribe to Fox Nation and begin streaming "Who is ‘Razin’ Caine?" today.
Taylor Penley is an associate editor with Fox News.
