Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Gen. Randy George, the Army's chief of staff, on Thursday, a move reflecting deep rifts between the Pentagon chief and the service's top leadership, officials said.

George, appointed in 2023, led the Army through a severe recruiting crisis in 2024 and pushed for faster adoption of cheap drones and weapons dominating Ukraine. The tension wasn't over policy but stemmed from Hegseth's long-standing grievances with the Army, battles over personnel, and a troubled relationship with Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, officials stated. Over the past year, George and Driscoll formed a close partnership, directly clashing with Hegseth over blocking promotions of four officers, two Black and two women, from one-star general lists. Driscoll and George refused Hegseth's demands, citing the officers' exemplary service records.

George also clashed with Hegseth over personnel decisions and was reportedly told of his dismissal during a 4 p.m. phone call. He was replaced by Gen. Christopher LaNeve, Hegseth's former senior military assistant. Hegseth also fired Maj. Gen. William Green Jr., the top chaplain, and Gen. David Hodne, head of Army modernization. Senior Army officers decried the dismissals as a blow to a service already feeling besieged by Hegseth, especially after the sudden, unexpected retirement of Vice Chief James Mingus in October. George, a decorated combat leader with multiple Iraq/Afghanistan tours, championed innovative tactics and weapon modernization, including cutting the expensive M-10 Booker tank at $1 billion and investing in faster, less-armored vehicles.

This purge signals Hegseth's escalating power struggle with the Army, prioritizing loyalty over experience and potentially destabilizing military leadership.