Seismic upheaval at the top of the US military apparatus. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced this Saturday the immediate dismissal of General Randy George, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, as well as two four-star generals commanding theaters of operations – amidst the military escalation against Iran. The decision, made "with the full approval of President Trump," was described as "an unprecedented purge in wartime" by former Pentagon officials.
General George, in office since October 2023, reportedly expressed reservations about the strategy of intense bombing of Iranian civilian infrastructure and the timeline of the 48-hour ultimatum. According to two sources close to the matter cited by Reuters, he warned Hegseth that "the current escalation risked transforming a limited conflict into a total regional war." His removal comes six weeks after operations began.
Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News anchor appointed Defense Secretary in January 2025, is thus consolidating his grip on the Pentagon. Since taking office, he has dismissed or pushed out more than 15 general officers – a pace unmatched in the modern history of the Department of Defense. Critics denounce a "test of political loyalty" imposed on the military institution.
Congress's reaction was immediate. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally, called the dismissals "deeply destabilizing in the midst of a conflict." Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran, spoke of "sabotage of the chain of command" and called for an emergency hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The Pentagon has named Lieutenant General Charles Flynn as interim Chief of Staff – the brother of Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security advisor. This choice, perceived as a signal of political loyalty rather than operational competence, has caused consternation in military ranks. "We are at war, and the President has just decapitated his own chain of command to place loyalists in charge," reacted a former Deputy Secretary of Defense on condition of anonymity.
