U.S. Army Chief of Staff Randy George was relieved of his duties on Thursday by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as reported by three U.S. defense officials to Reuters. This move is part of a recent wave of changes among the Pentagon’s top ranks.
Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has been swift in reshaping the department, which makes the firing of a general during wartime highly unusual. The Pentagon confirmed that George, who still had over a year left in his term, will be retiring from his position as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army immediately.
According to two anonymous officials, Hegseth has also dismissed General David Hodne, head of the Army’s Transformation and Training Command, and Major General William Green, who leads the Army’s Chaplain Corps. The reasons for George’s departure were not disclosed by the department.
Amidst U.S. military operations in the Middle East, primarily led by the Navy and Air Force, U.S. Army soldiers have been deployed to the region for air defense systems. The U.S. Army, with approximately 450,000 active-duty soldiers, is the largest branch of the U.S. military.
Notably, soldiers from the elite 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army have started arriving in the Middle East, potentially for ground operations in Iran.
The latest shakeup at the Pentagon comes without any apparent public conflicts between Hegseth and George. However, Hegseth has made controversial decisions such as firing the Army’s top lawyer and organizing a massive military parade for the Army’s 250th birthday, coinciding with Trump’s birthday.
General Christopher LaNeve, a former military aide and Army vice chief of staff, will assume George’s role in an acting capacity. Army leadership was reportedly informed of George’s firing simultaneously with the public announcement.
George, an infantry officer with service in Iraq and Afghanistan, took over as the top Army chief in 2023. Before his promotion, he served as the vice chief of the Army and as the senior military adviser to former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
The removal of George adds to the recent series of leadership changes at the Pentagon, which includes the dismissal of the previous chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General C.Q. Brown, along with the chief of naval operations and Air Force vice chief of staff.
Requests for comment from George’s office went unanswered.
