The Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Randy George, has been removed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegsett, three US defense officials told Reuters, in the latest wave of purges at the top of the Pentagon.
Although Hegsett, a former Fox News anchor, moved quickly to reshape the department, the removal of a general during wartime is almost unprecedented.
The Pentagon confirmed that George, who has more than a year left in his term, "will retire immediately from his position as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army."
The Pentagon said in a statement that it was grateful to George for his decades of service.
"We wish him all the best in retirement," it said.
Two officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said Hegseth also removed General David Hodne, who heads the Army Transformation and Training Command, as well as Major General William Green, head of the Army Chaplain Corps.
The department did not give a reason for George's departure, which comes at a time when the US military is building up forces in the Middle East while simultaneously conducting operations against Iran.
US strikes in the region are mainly carried out by the Navy and Air Force, although Army soldiers have been sent to the Middle East to provide air defense systems. The Army is the largest branch of the US armed forces, with about 450.000 active-duty soldiers.
Thousands of soldiers from the US Army's elite 82nd Airborne Division have also begun arriving in the Middle East, potentially for ground operations in Iran.
The latest earthquake at the Pentagon
There were no public signs of friction between Hegsett and George, although Hegsett has made controversial moves, such as firing the Army's chief lawyer and organizing a large military parade to mark the 250th anniversary of the army, which coincided with Trump's birthday.
Earlier this week, Hegseth also reversed the military's decision to investigate military pilots who flew combat helicopters near the home of singer Kid Rock, which appeared to be a sign of support for the vocal Trump ally.
CBS News, which first reported the dismissal, said it was not related to the Kid Rock incident.
One of the officials said that Hegseth's former military aide and deputy chief of staff of the Army, General Christopher LaNeve, would temporarily take over George's position.
Another official added that the top brass of the Army learned of George's dismissal the moment it became public, Reuters reports.
George, an infantry officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, was confirmed for the Army's highest-ranking post in 2023. Terms in the position typically last four years.
Before taking up this position, George was Deputy Chief of Army Staff, and before that, Chief Military Advisor to then-Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
He was considered a close associate of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. Together, the two tried to counter large defense companies in the military's efforts to speed up weapons development and reduce costs.
George's removal further deepens recent shakeups at the top of the Pentagon, including last year's dismissal of the previous chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General C.Q. Brown, as well as the chief of naval operations and the vice chief of staff of the Air Force, Reuters writes.
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