Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has dismissed the head of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, and two other senior Pentagon officials, marking a significant shake-up within the military leadership. The firings occurred amid heightened scrutiny over the effectiveness of U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, particularly in the aftermath of Operation Midnight Hammer. The DIA’s assessment, which was leaked to the press, raised questions about the success of the strikes, challenging the narrative that had been publicly promoted by former President Donald Trump.
President Donald Trump had previously stated that the strikes had ‘completely and fully obliterated’ Iran’s nuclear program, a claim that the DIA’s assessment contradicted. According to the leaked report, the strikes only delayed Tehran’s nuclear efforts by several months rather than achieving a decisive blow. This discrepancy has fueled ongoing debates about the strategic aims and outcomes of the military operation. Hegseth, who has been a vocal critic of the media’s portrayal of the strikes, accused the press of undermining the mission by questioning its effectiveness. He asserted that the press has a ‘DNA’ and ‘blood’ to oppose Trump, suggesting that their coverage was biased.
In addition to Kruse, Hegseth also removed Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore, the Chief of the Navy Reserve, and Rear Admiral Milton Sands, Commander of Naval Special Warfare Command. The reasons for these dismissals have not been officially disclosed, though the timing of the firings suggests they may be linked to the controversy surrounding the DIA’s assessment. Lacore, known for her extensive experience as a naval aviator and her leadership of the U.S. base in Djibouti, has commanded around 59,000 reserve component personnel across the Navy and Marine Corps. Sands, a decorated Navy SEAL with extensive experience in both Iraq and Afghanistan, held multiple high-level positions within the military, including roles in the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Special Operations Command. The lack of publicly available information about the reasons for their removal has added to the speculation and raised questions about the internal dynamics of the Pentagon.
This latest round of firings follows a broader trend of Trump-era dismissals of high-ranking military officials. Among those removed were Air Force General CQ Brown Jr., the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the top military lawyers for three service branches. The pattern of removals has raised concerns about the impact of political decisions on military leadership and the potential for instability within the armed forces. As the Pentagon continues to navigate these changes, the focus remains on the broader implications for U.S. military strategy and international relations, particularly in the context of ongoing tensions with Iran.