U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has asked Army Chief of Staff Randy George to step down and take immediate retirement, according to defense officials, signaling an abrupt shake-up at the top of the military.
Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has moved quickly to reshape the department, firing top generals and admirals as he seeks to implement Trump's national security agenda.
The sources did not indicate why Hegseth asked George to leave his post. The move was first reported by CBS News.
George, an infantry officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, was confirmed to the top Army post in 2023. Terms in that role usually run for four years.
Prior to holding the top job, George was the vice chief of the Army and, before that, the senior military adviser to then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
George's removal adds to recent upheaval at all levels of leadership at the Pentagon, including the firing last year 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 Air Force vice-chief of staff.
The office for George did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
On Thursday, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point posted photos of George saying that during a visit, he "shared experience-driven guidance with cadets preparing to lead."
More than a dozen senior officers have been fired by Hegseth, including Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. C.Q. Brown, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Slife, and Defense Intelligence Agency head Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse.
