US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse, the head of the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), alongside two senior Navy officials, in a move that follows President Donald Trump’s criticism over the agency’s preliminary intelligence assessment on the US attack on Iranian nuclear sites in June.
Kruse, who led the DIA since early 2024, was reportedly fired without explanation. The initial report from the DIA contradicted Trump’s claims that the strikes totally destroyed the nuclear sites, drawing ire from both the president and his administration.
The move comes as part of a purge of top military officials in the Trump administration, with several senior officers dismissed this year, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and heads of the US Navy and Coast Guard.
Hegseth has defended the president’s actions, saying he is choosing leaders for top positions. However, Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about the potential politicization of the military.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/23/us-general-whose-report-on-iran-nuclear-sites-damage-angered-trump-fired