Hegseth Forces Out Army’s Chief of Staff

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George on Thursday, marking the latest in a series of removals of senior military leaders since Hegseth took office last year. The decision also represents the first high-level firing within the military leadership since the conflict with Iran began. George was asked to step down from his position and retire immediately.

A senior Defense Department official said the department appreciated George’s years of service but believed the Army needed new leadership moving forward.

Earlier in the week, Hegseth had intervened in an Army disciplinary matter. In a post on his personal X account, he reversed the Army’s decision to suspend helicopter pilots who had flown low over musician Kid Rock’s home in Tennessee.

George had been serving as Army chief of staff since September 2023. He was nominated by Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate to the position, which is typically held for four years. A career infantry officer and graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, George served during the first Gulf War and later deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. During his tenure, he worked closely with Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, a relationship that reportedly became a point of tension with Hegseth.

Following George’s removal, the Pentagon announced that Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the Army’s vice chief of staff and a former military aide to Hegseth, will take over as acting chief of staff.

A Pentagon spokesman described LaNeve as a seasoned leader with decades of operational experience and said he has the full confidence of Hegseth to carry out the administration’s priorities.

George’s departure adds to a growing list of senior officers who have been removed under Hegseth’s leadership. Others include Joint Chiefs Chairman CQ Brown, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Slife, and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Jeffrey Kruse.

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