Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth removes top uniformed officer from Army as US wages war in Iran

The Army’s top general will be retiring immediately, according to the Defense Department, an unusual departure amid the ongoing war with Iran.

The Pentagon announced Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George’s exit on X.

“The Department of War is grateful for General George’s decades of service to our nation,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell wrote. “We wish him well in his retirement.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly demanded George’s resignation.

The apparent ouster comes as the U.S. continues to battle Iran, an extraordinary move that changes military leadership during an ongoing conflict and cuts off George’s expected four-year term, which would’ve ended in 2027.

Under the Trump administration, a string of top military leaders have been removed.

Last year, the president fired U.S. Air Force General Charles Q. Brown as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and removed the Navy’s top officer, Adm. Lisa Franchetti.

The president insisted in a major address this week that the U.S. campaign is “nearing completion,” but the White House hasn’t offered a clear picture of how the war will end. Tehran continues to say it hasn’t negotiated any kind of ceasefire with the U.S.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated with new information.