The U.S. Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, has requested the resignation of the army’s top-ranking officer, the Pentagon disclosed on Thursday, amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. General Randy George will be stepping down from his role as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army with immediate effect, announced Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s spokesperson. George has served in this position since August 2023 during the Biden administration.
This decision marks one of several dismissals of high-ranking military officials by Hegseth since assuming office last year. The circumstances surrounding George’s departure, like those of other generals and admirals, have not been publicly specified. The development comes nearly five weeks into the U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran, with no definitive timeline given by President Donald Trump for the war’s conclusion.
George, a West Point Military Academy graduate and former infantry officer with combat experience in the Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan, previously worked as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s senior military assistant from 2021 to 2022. He narrowly avoided being ousted during the Trump administration’s purging of top military leaders in February 2025, which included the removal of Adm. Lisa Franchetti and Gen. Jim Slife. Additionally, Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown Jr. was dismissed from his role as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Subsequently, a significant number of other high-ranking military figures have either retired prematurely or been relieved of their duties. Among them was George’s deputy, Gen. James Mingus, who served as the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army for a brief period before being replaced by Lt. Gen. Christopher LaNeve. LaNeve, who had been Hegseth’s senior military aide, transitioned to the new role from commanding the Eighth Army in South Korea.
The Pentagon has not provided specific reasons for the recent shake-up within the military leadership, leaving many details undisclosed.