Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth asks US army chief to step down amid Iran war 

Washington (Web Desk/Agencies): US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed General Randy George, the Army’s chief of staff, on Thursday, highlighting the escalating friction between Hegseth and senior Army leadership, according to The New York Times.

Hegseth has removed multiple high-ranking officers, many of whom are women or Black, raising questions among critics about whether bias played a role in these decisions. In late March, The Times reported that Hegseth had prevented the promotion of two Black officers and two female officers to one-star general.

General George, who assumed the chief of staff role in 2023, is expected to be succeeded by General Christopher LaNeve, a former senior military aide to Hegseth at the Pentagon. His firing comes amid heightened US military engagement in the Middle East and ongoing conflict with Iran.

According to military officials cited by The Times, the dispute between Hegseth and George was not about Army strategy or operations. Instead, it stemmed from Hegseth’s long-standing grievances with the Army, disputes over personnel, and a strained relationship with Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll. Over the past year, George and Driscoll had developed a close partnership.

Tensions had also risen recently over Hegseth’s decision to block the promotion of four Army officers to one-star general.

Along with General George, Hegseth removed General David Hodne, who had been promoted in October to lead the Army’s Transformation and Training Command, a key position responsible for modernization and doctrine. Maj. Gen. William Green, the Army’s top chaplain, was also dismissed.

Senior Army officials described George’s removal as a significant setback for a force that has seen several of its most experienced three- and four-star leaders removed or sidelined in recent months.

Last October, for instance, Gen. James Mingus, the Army’s vice chief of staff, stepped down a year earlier than planned with minimal input from senior Army leaders.

The news of George’s dismissal prompted frustration and anger among senior officers, who view it as the latest challenge to a service that already feels under pressure from Hegseth’s leadership style.

General George, a veteran of multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, earned a reputation as an innovative combat leader.

In Afghanistan, he withdrew troops from remote valleys where they were engaged in low-value battles and refocused them on protecting population centers.

Beyond combat operations, he directed his forces to target corrupt Afghan officials who were exploiting and terrorizing local communities, ensuring military efforts benefited the people as well as strategic objectives.