ISTANBUL
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has removed, forced into retirement or blocked the promotions of more than a dozen senior US military officers across multiple branches of the armed forces, in a sweeping leadership overhaul amid the ongoing war on Iran.
The changes have affected some of the military's most senior leaders, including combat-tested commanders with decades of operational experience in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Gulf War and other major US military operations.
Nine US officials told NBC News that some officers appeared to be targeted based on their race, gender, or perceived alignment with policies of former President Joe Biden’s administration.
Steps were reportedly taken to block or delay promotions for more than a dozen Black and female senior officers across all four military branches.
"There is not a single service that has been immune to this level of involvement by Hegseth," one US official told NBC News.
A retired senior military officer added that such intervention without explanation "will certainly cast a shadow across our officer corps," fueling concerns inside both the Pentagon and the White House about political influence in military leadership decisions.
Latest removal: Army chief forced into retirement
The most recent removal came on Thursday, when Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy A. George was asked to step down and retire immediately, according to CBS News and Pentagon statements.
"The Department of War is grateful for General George's decades of service to our nation. We wish him well in his retirement," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement.
A senior Defense Department official told CBS News: "We are grateful for his service, but it was time for a leadership change in the Army."
George, the 41st chief of staff of the Army, assumed the role on Sept. 21, 2023, and typically would have served a four-year term through 2027. A West Point graduate commissioned in 1988, George deployed during Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. He previously served as vice chief of staff of the Army and as senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin from 2021 to 2022.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, CBS News also reported that Gen. David Hodne, who led the Army's Transformation and Training Command, and Maj. Gen. William Green Jr., chief of Army chaplains, were also dismissed.
Following George's removal, Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve was named acting Army chief. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell described LaNeve as "a battle-tested leader with decades of operational experience and is completely trusted by Secretary Hegseth to carry out the vision of this administration without fault."
Senior officers removed, forced to resign
Among the senior officers removed, forced to resign or pushed into early retirement under Hegseth were some of the most senior leaders across the US military.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to lead the US Navy, was removed from her post. Franchetti previously commanded the US Sixth Fleet, US Naval Forces Korea and Carrier Strike Group 9, serving in key operational roles across Europe, Africa and the Indo-Pacific.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., a career fighter pilot who previously commanded US Pacific Air Forces and served as Air Force chief of staff, was also dismissed. Brown brought extensive operational experience, including combat deployments and senior leadership roles across the Indo-Pacific and Middle East.
Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse was removed after a preliminary June intelligence assessment suggested US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities had limited impact, contradicting President Donald Trump’s public claims, according to earlier reports cited by CBS News.
Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, the US military representative to NATO’s Military Committee, was removed by the Pentagon, which said her dismissal followed a loss of confidence in her leadership, according to spokesman Sean Parnell.
Gen. Timothy D. Haugh, who held the dual-hat position of NSA director and US Cyber Command commander, was removed from his post, ending his leadership over US cyber operations and signals intelligence programs.
Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James C. "Jim" Slife, a special operations pilot with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and senior command experience in Air Force Special Operations units, was also removed.
Gen. Jennifer Short, who served as senior military adviser to the defense secretary, was also affected in the recent leadership shake-up.
Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore, who led the Navy Reserve Forces, was also removed, ending her oversight of reserve readiness, personnel, and integration into active-duty operations.
Rear Adm. Milton "Jamie" Sands III, commander of Naval Special Warfare Command, which oversees Navy SEAL operations and maritime special operations forces, was also dismissed.
Lt. Gen. Charles Plummer, Air Force judge advocate general, was removed along with Lt. Gen. Joseph Berger III, Army judge advocate general. Both were the top legal advisers for their respective services.
Adm. Yvette Davids, career surface warfare officer and superintendent of the US Naval Academy, was also removed, ending her oversight of midshipman training, education, and leadership development.
Gen. Alvin Holsey, commander of US Southern Command, which oversees US military operations in Latin America and the Caribbean, retired early amid tensions with Hegseth and was widely reported to have been pushed out rather than completing a full tour in the post.
Joint Staff Lt. Gen. D.A. Sims was denied his expected fourth-star promotion and retired after being passed over for a senior leadership role.
These removals followed earlier dismissals and contributed to a broader leadership shake-up across the Pentagon.
CBS News reported that more than a dozen senior officers have now been fired, while NBC News reported that promotions for dozens of other high-ranking officers have also been blocked or delayed.
Promotions blocked
NBC News reported that Hegseth has taken steps to block or delay promotions for more than a dozen Black and female officers across the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.
Officials told NBC News that three Marine officers, including two women and one Black officer, were blocked from promotion despite being recommended by leadership and not being under investigation.
"They have all deployed and done their jobs, and all are combat-tested," one US official told NBC News.
Officials also said a list of Navy officers selected for promotion to one-star admiral remained stalled on Hegseth's desk for more than a month, while some Air Force officers were removed from promotion lists.
Officials told NBC News that some officers were scrutinized for ties to diversity, equity and inclusion programs, support for COVID-19 mandates, or perceived alignment with policies under the Biden administration.
"I think there is no consistency being applied to the standards," one US official told NBC News.
A retired senior military officer warned that political interference could undermine confidence in the system.
"Our officer corps trusts our promotion process," the retired officer said.
"Intervention without explanation will certainly cast a shadow across our officer corps that everything they have said, done and written about during their careers could be politicized in a career-ending manner with the stroke of a pen."
