US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired three senior generals, including Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, Maj. Gen. William Green Jr., and Gen. David Hodne. The firings came amid the ongoing war with Iran and a broader overhaul of US military leadership since President Donald Trump returned to the White House.
George, who was just three years into his four-year term as chief of staff, was unexpectedly informed of his firing by Hegseth during a meeting on Thursday. LaNeve will replace him as acting chief of staff.
The reasons behind the firings are not clear, but this is not the first time senior military officials have been ousted since Trump began his second term. Other notable dismissals include several Joint Chiefs of Staff members and top naval and air force officials.
Gen. Randy George was a highly decorated veteran who served in multiple conflicts, including the Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He previously held positions such as vice chief of staff and senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Maj. Gen. William Green Jr., who recently became army chief of chaplains, has been criticized by some for his ouster. His firing marks a first for this role.
Gen. David Hodne was promoted just last October to lead the army’s Transformation and Training Command. He had previously served as director of the Futures and Concepts Center.
Gen. Christopher LaNeve will take over as acting chief of staff, replacing George. LaNeve has a long military career and has held multiple command positions.
Source: https://time.com/article/2026/04/03/hegseth-army-firings-chief-of-staff