Pentagon chief of staff resigns abruptly
Pete Hegseth, the American Secretary of Defense, close to Donald Trump and heavily involved in the Middle East conflict, has secured the immediate departure of Army chief Randy George. Appointed in 2023 by Joe Biden, George was initially expected to remain in his position until 2027.
This high-ranking officer, who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan, “will leave his position as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army immediately,” wrote Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell, wishing him “a happy retirement,” without specifying the reason for this sudden departure.
The Republican administration is already considering replacing him with General Christopher LaNeve, who aligns more with Donald Trump’s vision for the military.
Another high-ranking departure
This is another forced departure among the top ranks of the American military since Donald Trump returned to power. The president had, without explanation, fired Army Chief of Staff Charles “CQ” Brown at the beginning of 2025, replacing him with Dan Caine.
Since then, the heads of the Navy, Coast Guard, NSA spy agency, and many others have been pushed out by the Trump administration.
Pete Hegseth, leading a department that he renamed the “War Ministry,” stated that he simply chooses the leaders he wants to lead the world’s largest military budget.
Democratic opposition lawmakers have expressed concern about the potential politicization of the military, which traditionally stays more removed from political battles than the rest of the American government apparatus.
