U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has requested the Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. Randy George, to step down from his position, the Pentagon announced on Thursday. The departure of George, who has been serving as the 41st chief of staff of the army since August 2023 under the Biden administration, will be effective immediately.
This move is part of a series of dismissals of top military officials by Hegseth since assuming office last year. The Pentagon has not provided a specific reason for George’s removal, which comes amid ongoing U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran.
Gen. Randy George, a West Point Military Academy graduate and infantry officer with experience in conflicts such as the first Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan, previously served as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s top military aide. He survived an earlier round of firings under the Trump administration in February 2025 when several other high-ranking military leaders were removed from their positions.
Following George’s dismissal, his deputy, Gen. James Mingus, also faced early retirement. Mingus, who held the role of vice-chief of staff of the army for a brief period, was replaced by Lt. Gen. Christopher LaNeve, who had been serving as Hegseth’s top military aide after commanding the Eighth Army in South Korea.
The removal of Gen. George is part of a broader pattern of leadership changes within the U.S. military, with multiple generals and admirals either retiring prematurely or being relieved of their duties in recent times.