Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins arrive before President Donald Trump speaks about the Iran war from the Cross Hall of the White House on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Washington. Alex Brandon/Pool via REUTERS
President Donald Trump's Secretary of Defense was panned by political analysts and observers on Thursday after his latest shakeup within the Army's leadership.
Secretary Pete Hegseth asked Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to either resign or accept immediate retirement, according to a new report by CBS News. The move happened at a time when the Trump administration is facing significant criticism for its participation in the war in Iran.
"George previously served as the senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin from 2021-2022, during the Biden administration, after decades of service," CBS News reported. "A career infantry officer and West Point graduate, George first served in the first Gulf War and the more recent conflicts of Iraq and Afghanistan."
"The Army chief of staff typically serves a four-year term. George was nominated for the position by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate in 2023, meaning he would typically have held the position until 2027," it added.
Political analysts and observers panned the Defense Secretary on social media for making the move.
"The purges continue," Shashank Joshi, defense editor at The Economist, posted on X.
"Firing the Army chief of staff in the middle of a war is always a sign that things are going great," national security expert Tom Nichols posted on X.
"Hegseth is back to purging Generals," Paul Reickhoff, host of the "Independent Americas" podcast, posted on X. "As his popularly continues to fall, and unpopular operations in Iran (and elsewhere) continue to expand, we should expect more of this. It’s very dangerous and bad for our national security. And for our troops."
"This is extremely disappointing," Ryan Evans, founder of War on the Rocks, posted on X.