Trump Joint Chiefs Pick Denies He Wore MAGA Hat And Said ‘I’d Kill For You’ When Confronted With Trump Story

Lt. Gen. John Daniel “Razin” Caine denied several of President Donald Trump’s claims as he testified at a confirmation hearing to become chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, including that he wore a MAGA hat and told Trump, “I’d kill for you!”

In 2024, Trump told a lengthy story about meeting Caine during his trip to Iraq in 2018 — variations of which he has been telling for years — that included this scene:

This is where I met General Razin Caine. And I said what’s your name, General? What’s your name?

And he gave me his name. What’s your name, Sergeant? “Yes, sir. I love you, sir! I think you’re great, sir! I’ll kill for you, sir!”

Then he puts on a Make America Great Again hat. You’re not allowed to do that, but they did it. I remember I went into the hangar, and there were a lot of — there were hundreds of troops.

He then continues to talk about Caine for several more minutes.

At a Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing Tuesday, Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) asked Caine about the exchange, and Caine denied he said or did those things, insisting Trump was talking about someone else:

SEN. JACK REED: Following the announcement of your nomination, press stories started to circulate about comments President Trump made about you and your past relationship.

And according to the reports, the President tells a story where he spoke to you while you were serving in Iraq on active duty, and you said that you loved him and “I’ll kill for you, sir!”.

The President then said that you followed up these comments by putting on a Make America Great Again hat. General Caine, is any of this story true?

LT. GEN. JOHN CAINE: Senator, as I mentioned to the chairman, for 34 years, I’ve upheld my oath of office and the responsibilities of my commission.

I think, I went back and listened to those tapes, and I think the president was actually talking about somebody else. And I’ve never worn any political merchandise or said anything to that effect.

Trump mentioned a “master sergeant” earlier in the nearly 20-minute story, but made the claims about the hat and the quote in an unbroken portion of the story about Caine.

Watch above via the Senate Armed Services Committee.