Pete Hegseth asks US Army chief Randy George to step down, retire immediately

While the Pentagon has not given a reason for the firing, sources told CBS News that the move was driven by the Defence Secretary's desire for "someone who will implement President Donald Trump's vision for the Army."

In Short

• George served in Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan; became Army chief in 2023
• Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth initiated move amid US-Iran war
• Hegseth has fired over dozen top generals, admirals since taking office

US Army Chief of Staff General Randy George has been asked to step down and take immediate retirement by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday amid the US's ongoing war with Iran. Gen Christopher LaNeve, the Army's Vice Chief of Staff, will replace George.

While the Pentagon has not given a reason for the firing, sources told CBS News that the move was driven by the Defence Secretary’s desire for “someone who will implement President Donald Trump’s vision for the Army.”

According to a Fox news report, a senior War Department official revealed that Hegseth contacted George on Thursday, requesting his immediate retirement and said, "It was time for a leadership change in the Army."

The report also stated that Hegseth did not give George any reason for asking him to step down.

In a statement, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said that George “will be retiring from his position as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army effective immediately.”

He added that the Department of Defense was “grateful for General George’s decades of service” and wished him well in retirement.

Meanwhile, there was also buzz about FBI Director Kash Patel, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll and Labour Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer also leaving the Trump administration, the Atlantic reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with White House plans.

The timing is uncertain and President Donald Trump has not yet made up his mind, the Atlantic reported.

HEGSETH FIRING TOP MILITARY GENERALS

Hegseth has moved quickly to reshape the department, firing top generals and admirals as he seeks to implement President Donald Trump’s national security agenda. The ouster of George is the latest in more than a dozen firings of top generals and admirals by Hegseth since he first took office last year.

George’s removal adds to recent upheaval across the Pentagon leadership. He had survived an initial round of firings last February, which saw the removal of top military leaders, including Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the Navy’s top uniformed officer, and General Jim Silfe, the Air Force’s No 2 leader, by Hegseth. At the same time, President Donald Trump fired General Charles “CQ” Brown, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Since then, more than a dozen other top military generals and admirals have either retired early or been removed from their posts.

Among those departures was George’s deputy, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army General James Mingus, who had been in the role for less than two years when Trump suddenly nominated Lt Gen Christopher LaNeve for the position. LaNeve was serving as Hegseth’s top military aide after being selected from his role commanding the Eighth Army in South Korea, where he had served for less than a year.

GEORGE WAS INVOLVED IN GULF, IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN WAR

George, an infantry officer, is a graduate of West Point Military Academy and has served in the first Gulf War as well as Iraq and Afghanistan. He was confirmed to the top Army post in 2023, a role that typically carries a four-year term.

Prior to holding the top job, George served as the vice chief of the Army and earlier as the senior military adviser to then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. He also served as Austin’s top military aide from 2021 to 2022 during the Biden administration before taking on senior Army leadership roles.

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