Hegseth asked US Army chief of staff to step down

Audio By Vocalize

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has asked General Randy George to step down as chief of staff of the US Army, an official said Thursday.

George is the latest senior military officer to be ousted during President Donald Trump's second term. His removal as the top Army officer comes with the United States engaged in a war with Iran that the president has indicated could last for several more weeks.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed a report from US broadcaster CBS that said George had been asked to take immediate retirement.

The reason for the request was not immediately known, but CBS quoted a source as saying Hegseth wanted someone who would implement his and Trump's vision for the Army.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell later posted a statement on X that said George "will be retiring from his position... effective immediately," without specifying a reason.

During a nearly four-decade military career, George deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan multiple times and also served in positions including vice chief of staff of the Army and senior military assistant to Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin during Joe Biden's term as president.

The army's vice chief of staff General Christopher LaNeve will take over as acting chief of staff, CBS reported.

Hegseth previously said LaNeve is "a battle-tested leader with decades of operational experience."

Military purge

General David Hodne and Major General William Green Jr. were also removed alongside George, according to The Washington Post and CBS.

Hodne led the Army's Transformation and Training Command while Green was in charge of the Army's Chaplain Corps. AFP has contacted the Pentagon for comment.

Trump has overseen a purge of top military officers, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, general Charles "CQ" Brown, whom he fired without explanation in February 2025.

Other senior officers dismissed include the heads of the Navy and Coast Guard, the general who headed the National Security Agency, the vice chief of staff of the Air Force, a Navy admiral assigned to NATO, and three top military lawyers.

The chief of staff of the Air Force also announced his retirement without explanation just two years into a four-year term, while the head of US Southern Command retired a year into his tenure.

Hegseth has insisted the president is simply choosing the leaders he wants, but Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about the potential politicization of the traditionally neutral US military.

Last year, the Pentagon chief additionally ordered at least a 20 percent cut in the number of active-duty four-star generals and admirals in the US military, as well as a 10 percent cut in the overall number of general and flag officers.