Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has removed Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Randy George, according to four U.S. military officials.
Chief Defense Department spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed George’s departure, stating that George, the Army’s top officer, will retire immediately from his position as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army.
“The Department of War is thankful for General George’s years of service to our nation. We wish him well in his retirement,” Parnell added.
Hegseth has been looking to replace George, who assumed the chief post in September 2023, as he has been replacing senior officials linked to previous administrations. George previously served as the senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during the Biden administration.
Hegseth urged George to retire instantly, but it remains uncertain who will take over as Army chief. Hegseth had recently advocated for the appointment of Gen. Christopher LaNeve as the vice chief of the Army, prompting speculation that LaNeve may eventually succeed as chief.
George’s dismissal is partially linked to Hegseth’s ongoing dissatisfaction with the Army and its leadership, particularly his strained relationship with Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, sources revealed.
In addition to George, Hegseth also dismissed two other Army generals on Thursday: Maj. Gen. William Green, the chief of chaplains, and David Hodne, the commanding general of Army Transformation and Training Command.
Hegseth has a history of removing officials during Trump’s second term, including Air Force Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, Navy Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, Joint Chiefs Chairman CQ Brown Jr., Air Force Gen. Timothy Haugh, Navy Adm. Lisa Franchetti, and Coast Guard Adm. Linda Fagan.
