The Senate confirmed retired Lt. Gen. Dan Caine as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff early Friday morning, following a vote of 60 to 25. This decision came after Democrats, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), delayed Caine’s nomination in protest against President Donald Trump’s dismissal of the former military leader, Gen. C.Q. Brown Jr. The senators, who are preparing for a two-week recess, argued that Brown’s removal was unwarranted.

Despite the lack of clarity surrounding Brown’s exit, Caine garnered bipartisan support during a notably uneventful confirmation hearing, facing no significant opposition to his appointment as the senior uniformed leader of the United States military. The Senate Armed Services Committee, which oversaw the hearing, voted 23-4 to advance his nomination to the full Senate. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), the committee’s chair, urged his colleagues on Wednesday to approve Caine “without any delays,” highlighting the ongoing military expansion of China and the collaboration of adversaries against U.S. interests.

“President Trump should have the highest-ranking military officer in place without any delays,” he stated, emphasizing that Caine “sailed through” the committee’s vote, receiving an overwhelming, nearly unanimous, bipartisan endorsement. The Senate’s approval of Caine’s nomination followed Trump’s unexpected decision in February to remove seven senior officials, including Brown and Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the first female Chief of Naval Operations.