Hegseth Abruptly Fired The U.S. Army Chief Of Staff And Two Other Top Generals
- 3.04.2026, 7:48
It was part of a major "purge" among the Pentagon's top brass.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of War Sean Parnell announced the immediate retirement of General Randy George as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army.
In a post on social media X, Parnell said, "General Randy George is stepping down effective immediately...The Department is grateful for decades of service. We wish him all the best in retirement."
According to Reuters, the decision was made by U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Defense sources say it was part of a major "purge" among the Pentagon's top brass.
The dismissal of a general at such a level during active military operations is considered an almost unprecedented move. At the same time, the official reason for George's resignation was not disclosed, although he still had more than a year of authority left.
Sources said the following were dismissed along with George:
General David Hodne, who headed the Transformation and Readiness Command;
Major General William Green.
General Christopher LaNeve may serve as acting chief of staff.
The personnel decisions come amid the U.S. military buildup in the Middle East and operations against Iran. The Navy and Air Force are currently bearing the brunt, but ground forces are providing air defense systems.
In addition, thousands of troops from the 82nd Airborne Division are already arriving in the region, which may indicate preparations for possible ground operations.
George's resignation continues a series of high-profile personnel changes at the US Defense Department. Earlier, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Charles K. Brown, as well as the heads of the Navy and Air Force lost their positions.
Although there were no public conflicts between Hegseth and George, the resignation came suddenly - the army's top brass learned of it at the same time as the information was made public.
General George, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, took over the U.S. Army in 2023 and was considered a key reformer, particularly on cost-cutting and weapons modernization.
What preceded
The first to write about George's resignation was CBS News. According to the publication, Hagset called on Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to resign and "retire immediately."
One of the reporters' interlocutors said the Pentagon chief wants to see someone in the post who will fulfill Trump's and Hagset's own vision for the U.S. Army.