Origin: Hegseth ousts Army Chief Randy George

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to retire effective immediately as the war with Iran continues. He also removed two other Army generals: the service’s chief of chaplains, Maj. Gen. William Green Jr., and Gen. David Hodne, who leads the Army Transformation and Training Command. The shake-up came a day after the president’s national address on the Iran war signaling intensified strikes.

Senior Army leaders learned of George’s ouster from the public announcement. George was told in a phone call from Hegseth while he was in a meeting, then informed his staff in person.

Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve will serve as acting Army chief. The Army is deploying forces and runs much of the air and missile defense protecting U.S. troops, roles George had been advising on at the top of the military. The chief of staff’s term is normally four years; George was confirmed in September 2023 and would have served until 2027.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources