president Donald Trump Once again spotlighting Gen. Dan “Racine” Cain and praising his role in defeating the Islamic State. At a White House press briefing on Monday, Trump said he played an important role in accelerating operations against terrorist groups.
Introducing Kaine to the audience, Trump said he got to know Kaine during his first term and credited him with helping “annihilate ISIS in four weeks” instead of the expected four years.
Fighter pilot promoted to top military adviser
Kane is a retiree United States Air Force Lieutenant General. He currently serves as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and is the highest-ranking four-star military officer in the United States.
Kane served in the military for more than thirty years. He is a decorated F-16 pilot with more than 2,800 flight hours, including combat missions.
His career spanned key roles in counterterrorism, intelligence and special operations, including serving as deputy director for military affairs at the CIA before returning to active duty.
After joining the White House in 2005, Kaine held a variety of positions, including as a researcher at the Department of Agriculture, where he worked on avian flu and Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, and as director of counterterrorism policy.
He was confirmed as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2025 after being handpicked by Trump. His selection was classified as an extraordinary appointment in light of his previous retirement. He is also the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to have never held the rank of four-star general or admiral before assuming the chairmanship.
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Why Trump takes credit for the fight against ISIS
They first met in Iraq in 2018, sparking President Donald Trump’s interest in the retired three-star general. Trump was particularly impressed by Kaine’s management of the Islamic State (IS) task force.
From 2018 to 2019, Kane Served as deputy commander of U.S. Operation Resolve, a multinational effort to dismantle the Islamic State.
Kaine reportedly told Trump during a 2018 meeting in Iraq that ISIS could be defeated quickly by changing strategy and rules of engagement
According to Reuters, in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2019, Trump described Kaine, then the deputy leader of the special operations team against the Islamic State, telling him that the terrorist group could be destroyed within a week.
“Rahim was instrumental in the total elimination of the Islamic State caliphate,” Trump wrote in a post announcing Kaine’s appointment to The Truth Society magazine. […] Many so-called military “geniuses” say it will take years to defeat ISIS. General Kane, on the other hand, said it could be done quickly, and he did. “
The U.S. Department of Defense highly praised the senior commanders involved in Operation Resolve.
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Trump continues to support General Kaine
Trump has repeatedly praised Kaine as a “real general” and emphasized his battlefield experience and unconventional thinking.
At today’s White House press conference, Trump also generously gave credit to Kane for defeating international terrorist organizations, calling him “perfect.”
Even when announcing his appointment, Trump praised Kaine’s service in the military, saying: “Despite being highly senior and respected, General Kaine served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the previous administration, he was not promoted by Sleepy Joe Biden. But not anymore!”
He further added, “General Kaine and our military will work with Secretary of State Pete Hegseth to restore peace through strength, pursue America first and rebuild our military.”
