August 22 – U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has removed the head of the Pentagon’s intelligence agency and two senior military leaders, continuing a wave of leadership changes under President Donald Trump administration. The surprise removals have intensified concerns about the politicization of military and intelligence institutions, even as the official reasons behind the firings remain unclear.
U.S. officials said that Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), was directed to vacate his position late Friday. Alongside Kruse, Hegseth also removed the chief of the U.S. Naval Reserves and the commander of Naval Special Warfare Command, two influential posts in the Navy’s leadership structure. While no explanation has been publicly given for these decisions, the timing has sparked speculation and criticism in Washington.
Senator Mark Warner, the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, sharply criticized the move, stating that the repeated dismissals of senior national security figures send a dangerous message. He argued that the administration appears to be treating intelligence and defense work as tests of loyalty rather than as independent safeguards for the nation’s security.
A Pattern of Firings and Reshaping the Pentagon
Friday’s dismissals are part of a broader trend in which senior defense and intelligence leaders have faced removal when their assessments or actions did not align with Trump’s preferred narrative. In April, General Timothy Haugh was unexpectedly removed from his role as director of the National Security Agency, a move that coincided with the reshuffling of over a dozen posts within the National Security Council staff. Earlier this year, Hegseth also dismissed Air Force General C.Q. Brown from his position as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a move that stunned defense circles and included the removal of several other admirals and generals.
The Pentagon has seen an unusual level of turnover since the start of Trump’s second term, with many senior figures either dismissed or choosing to retire earlier than expected. Earlier this week, the U.S. Air Force chief revealed plans to resign ahead of his term’s completion, offering no public explanation for the decision.
The removal of Lieutenant General Kruse appears particularly significant given recent tensions over intelligence assessments. A leaked preliminary report from the Defense Intelligence Agency indicated that the U.S. airstrikes carried out in June against Iranian nuclear sites delayed Tehran’s progress by only a few months, directly contradicting Trump’s public claims that the targets had been “obliterated.” That report reportedly angered the White House, which denounced the assessment as inaccurate and accused media outlets that published it of spreading “fake news.” While it has not been confirmed that the firing of Kruse is linked to that episode, the timing has raised suspicions among analysts and lawmakers.
Escalating Moves Against Intelligence and Security Officials
The dismissals come amid a larger campaign by the Trump administration to reduce the influence of intelligence and military officials it views as resistant to its agenda. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard disclosed earlier this week that security clearances were withdrawn from 37 serving and former intelligence officials. Acting on Trump’s orders, Gabbard said the move was part of an effort to curb what she described as politicized or entrenched elements within the intelligence community.
This action follows a pattern of sweeping revocations since the beginning of Trump’s second term, including those of prominent political rivals. Both President Joe Biden, who defeated Trump in the 2020 election, and former Vice President Kamala Harris, who ran unsuccessfully in the following cycle, had their clearances revoked in previous rounds.
At the same time, Gabbard revealed a major restructuring of her office, which oversees the intelligence community, with plans to cut staff by more than 40% by October 1. According to her statement, the restructuring is expected to save over $700 million annually. The scale of these cuts has fueled debate over whether the administration is prioritizing cost-cutting measures over maintaining the strength and independence of U.S. intelligence operations.
The Trump administration has defended these moves as necessary reforms aimed at downsizing the federal government and eliminating what it calls the “weaponization” of intelligence. Critics, however, warn that the cumulative effect of the firings, security clearance revocations, and institutional shakeups could undermine the United States’ ability to respond to global threats with objective analysis and sound military judgment.