Trending 
United States Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has directed General Randy George to step down as Chief of Staff of the US Army, marking the latest in a series of high-level military departures under President Donald Trump’s administration.
According to an official who spoke anonymously, George was asked to take immediate retirement. The development was first reported by CBS News, which cited sources indicating that Hegseth is seeking leadership aligned with his agenda and that of the president. While no formal reason was provided, the move signals a continued reshaping of the military’s top hierarchy.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell later confirmed the decision in a post on X, saying that George “will be retiring from his positio effective immediately,” without elaborating further.
The timing of his departure is notable, as the United States remains actively engaged in a military confrontation with Iran, a conflict President Trump has suggested could continue for several more weeks.
General George’s exit concludes a military career spanning nearly four decades, during which he undertook multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He also held key leadership roles, including vice chief of staff of the Army and senior military assistant to former Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin during the administration of Joe Biden.
His removal forms part of what observers have described as a broader purge within the military’s senior ranks. Reports from The Washington Post and CBS indicate that General David Hodne and Major General William Green Jr. were also dismissed. Hodne previously led the Army’s Transformation and Training Command, while Green headed the Chaplain Corps.
Since returning to office, President Trump has overseen the removal of several top-ranking officers, including former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Q. Brown Jr., who was dismissed without explanation in early 2025. Other affected officials include leaders of the Navy and Coast Guard, senior intelligence figures, and top military legal advisers.
While Hegseth has maintained that the administration is exercising its authority to appoint preferred leaders, Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about the implications for the military’s long-standing tradition of political neutrality.
Additional structural changes have also been introduced, including directives to reduce the number of four-star generals and admirals by at least 20 per cent, alongside a broader 10 per cent cut across general and flag officer ranks.
