Pete Hegseth fired one of the top generals in the US military. Randy George was the ground troops commander
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has asked Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to resign and retire, sources told CBS News. The position held by George is the highest rank held by a serviceman in the United States Ground Forces.
One of the sources cited by CBS News said that Hegseth wants someone in the position to implement President Trump's and Hegseth's vision for the U.S. military.
Prior to his current post, George was the Senior Military Advisor to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin from 2021-2022 during the Biden administration. The general is an infantry officer and fought in the first Gulf War (1991) as well as the more recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The term of office of the Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces is four years. George was nominated for office by President Joe Biden and was confirmed by the Senate in 2023.
The current deputy chief of staff, Gen. Christopher LaNeve, who was Hegseth's military adviser, is considered a likely replacement. LaNeve served as commander of the 82nd Airborne Division in 2022-2023.
On Thursday, the West Point Military Academy posted images of General Randy George in dialogue with cadets of the most prestigious military educational institution in the United States.
Series of dismissals at the top of the US military
Since he has been Secretary of Defense, Hegseth has fired several senior officers in high-ranking positions. as well as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff CO Brown, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force General James Slife, and Chief of the Military Intelligence Agency Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse.
Randy George's firing comes after Hegseth announced on X the suspension of a helicopter crew that flew over the home of Kid Rock, a pop star close to President Trump, last weekend.
After the military announced the suspension of the airmen involved and the start of an administrative investigation, Hegseth reversed the decision by writing on X's account: “No punishment. No investigation. Carry on, patriots!”
Hegseth's decision to ask George to resign is unrelated to the helicopter incident, one of the sources cited by CBS News said.
