Hegseth's wartime firing of top generals stun officials: "It's insane" [View all]

Source: msn/Axios

9h


The ousters of Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George and Army Gen. David Hodne blindsided military leaders and have generated concern among defense officials about the implications for the war in Iran and the longer-term adoption of new tech and tactics.

Why it matters: George and Hodne join a growing list of general and flag officers booted by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. These abrupt exits have reshaped the Joint Chiefs of Staff, intel-collecting agencies and combatant commands.

Driving the news: George's dismissal was motivated by clashing personalities and not disagreements over where the Army is headed, according to two U.S. officials.

One of those officials described the firing during a war as "insane."

Hodne was late last year put in charge of Transformation and Training Command (T2COM), meant to accelerate the service's tech development and deployment. The organization was birthed from the Army Transformation Initiative, which George helped lead.

"This doesn't feel like a very strong, self-assured decision," one of the officials said of Hegseth's move.

Friction point: The firings come with elements of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division bound for the Middle East. The Army is also responsible for integrated air-and-missile defenses.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/hegseth-s-wartime-firing-of-top-generals-stun-officials-it-s-insane/ar-AA205ClQ