Pete Hegseth fires US Army chief

In the midst of the US and Israel’s assault on Iran, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered Army Chief of Staff General Randy A. George to resign immediately.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced that George “will be retiring from his position” in a statement put on X late on Thursday, but he did not provide any explanation for the sudden decision made during a time of conflict.

The defense department was “grateful for General George’s decades of service to our nation,” he continued.

Since Hegseth assumed office in January of last year, the US military has seen a number of high-profile dismissals, the most recent of which was George’s sacking, which was originally reported by US broadcaster CBS.

According to a source cited by CBS, Hegseth took the action because he wanted someone to carry out his and President Donald Trump’s plans for the army.

The 61-year-old general was initially selected by former US President Joe Biden in 2023. He served in several posts abroad of the United States, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. As chief of staff, he is recognized with trying to eliminate army redundancies and incorporate modern technologies, such as inexpensive missile interceptor drones and targeting systems driven by artificial intelligence.

The New York Times reported that George and Hegseth’s disagreements over Hegseth’s choice to single out and prevent the advancement of four army commanders out of a list of 29 persons were the reason for the removal.

According to the Times, which cited anonymous military officials, the majority of the officers on the list are white men, although Hegseth blocked two Black soldiers and two women.

Senior military officers questioned if gender or racial bias was involved in Hegseth’s decision. However, according to sources, Hegseth declined to meet with the defense secretary when George requested a meeting to discuss the issue two weeks ago.

Before Hegseth called George at around 4 p.m. local time on Thursday, rumors about his potential termination had been circulating for weeks, according to the Times.

The most senior uniformed military leaders, known as the Joint Chiefs of Staff, honored the departing head in a social media message.

The statement said, “General George and his family have continuously answered the nation’s call with honor and dedication since 1988.” “We are incredibly grateful to General George and his wife, Patty, for their many years of selflessness and commitment to service members. We wish them both continuing joy and success in everything that lies ahead as they wrap up this illustrious chapter of service and turn to the future.

General David M. Hodne, the head of the Army’s Transformation and Training Command, a unit tasked with modernizing the army, and Major General William Green Jr., the army’s chief of chaplains, also appointed since 2023, were both fired by Hegseth on Thursday, according to the Times and the military publication Stars and Stripes. Their withdrawal has not been confirmed by the Pentagon.

Regardless of their religious affiliation, Army chaplains often offer soldiers and their families private counseling, moral direction, and spiritual support.

Since the beginning of the Iran War, US and Israeli authorities have implied that the battle is a religious endeavor.

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), a US army watchdog, reported in March that it had received complaints via email alleging that top commanders had informed US service men that the war with Iran is intended to “cause Armageddon,” or the biblical “end times.”

General James J. Mingus, the former vice chief of staff of the army, retired in October, one year ahead of schedule. There were no explanations provided.