Defense Secretary Hegseth Requests Immediate Retirement of Army Chief Gen. Randy George

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has requested the immediate retirement of Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, according to sources familiar with the decision.

Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed the development, stating, "General Randy A. George will be retiring from his position as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army effective immediately. The Department of War is grateful for General George's decades of service to our nation. We wish him well in his retirement."

A senior Defense Department official commented, "We are grateful for his service, but it was time for a leadership change in the Army."

Gen. George, a West Point graduate and career infantry officer, has served in the Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He was nominated by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate in 2023 for a four-year term, which would have concluded in 2027.

The current Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. Christopher LaNeve, who previously served as Hegseth's military aide, will serve as acting Army Chief of Staff.

This move is part of a broader pattern of leadership changes under Secretary Hegseth, who has dismissed over a dozen senior military officers, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. C.Q. Brown and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti.

The decision to request Gen. George's retirement is not related to a recent incident involving Army aviators, according to sources.