Hegseth asks Army top officer to step down as US wages war against Iran
The Pentagon announced that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has asked Gen. Randy George, the Army's Chief of Staff, to step down immediately while the US is at war with Iran, though no reason was given for the abrupt departure.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has asked U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to step down and retire immediately, according to multiple U.S. defense officials speaking anonymously. The Pentagon confirmed that George "will be retiring from his position effective immediately" without providing a specific reason for the abrupt departure. This leadership change occurs while the United States is engaged in a war with Iran, which President Trump has indicated could continue for several more weeks.
Gen. Randy George was confirmed in 2023 for a typical four-year term as Army Chief of Staff and has a distinguished military career including multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He previously served as Army vice chief of staff and senior military assistant to former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The request for his resignation represents part of a broader Pentagon leadership shake-up under President Trump's second term administration.
Hegseth reportedly seeks military leaders aligned with Trump's national security vision for the Army, according to sources cited by CBS News. This move follows other high-profile dismissals, including Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown in February 2025, and aligns with Hegseth's directives to cut active-duty four-star generals and admirals by 20% and overall general and flag officers by 10%.
The leadership change has raised concerns among Democratic lawmakers about potential politicization of the military, while Hegseth maintains the decision is about selecting preferred leaders who align with the administration's vision. No successor for George has been named in current reports, and his office has not commented publicly on the matter. This is part of ongoing Pentagon changes that have included recent unannounced departures of other senior officers like Army Vice Chief Gen. James Mingus.
Join the discussion
What do you think? Drop your thoughts below.