WASHINGTON : U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has asked Army Chief of Staff General Randy George to step down and retire, a U.S. official confirmed to NPR.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the move publicly. It remains unclear who will replace George as Army Chief of Staff.
The leadership shakeup comes as the war in the Middle East rages through its fifth week. Dozens of countries have been discussing ways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran continues to trade attacks and threats with the United States and Israel.
In his first address to the nation since launching strikes on Iran on February 28, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the conflict was “nearing completion.” However, he added that first, the U.S. is intensifying its assault.
“We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We’re going to bring them back to the Stone Ages, where they belong,” Trump said.
The President’s remarks signal an escalation in U.S. military action against Iran even as diplomatic efforts to reopen key shipping routes continue. The simultaneous removal of the Army’s top general suggests potential shifts in military strategy as the conflict enters a critical phase.
Neither the Pentagon nor General Randy George has issued a statement regarding the retirement request at this time.
