Pete Hegseth Asks US Army Chief Of Staff To Step Down Amid Iran War

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday (local time) asked US Army Chief of Staff General Randy George to step down and retire immediately, two US defence officials and a source familiar with the matter told news agency Reuters.

A Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said George has been asked to take early retirement from the post of Army chief of staff, which he has held since August 2023.

A senior Defence Department official said the move reflects a need for “a leadership change in the Army,” adding that the administration is seeking leaders aligned with the vision of President Donald Trump and Hegseth amid ongoing war with Iran.

George was nominated by Joe Biden and would typically

have remained in the role until 2027. A career infantry officer and graduate of United States Military Academy at West Point, he has served in major conflicts including the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Following his exit, Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve will take over as acting Army Chief. LaNeve, a former aide to Hegseth, previously led the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell described LaNeve as a “battle-tested leader” who is trusted to implement the administration’s priorities.

Since taking office, Hegseth has removed or replaced more than a dozen senior officers, including Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the Navy’s top uniformed officer, and Gen. Jim Silfe, the No. 2 leader at the Air Force. Trump also fired Gen. Charles “C.Q.” Brown, then the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at the same time.

Additionally, George’s deputy, the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. James Mingus, who was in the post for less than two years when Trump suddenly nominated Lt. Gen. Christopher LaNeve for the position. LaNeve was then serving as Hegseth’s top military aide, having been plucked for that post from commanding the Eighth Army in South Korea after less than a year in the job.