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War Secretary Pete Hegseth has asked Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to step down and retire immediately, marking the latest shakeup at the Pentagon as the Trump administration moves to reshape military leadership.<\/span><\/p>\n According to <\/span>CBS News<\/span><\/a>, a senior War Department official said the move reflects a desire for new leadership aligned with the administration\u2019s priorities. \u201cWe are grateful for his service, but it was time for a leadership change in the Army,\u201d the official said.<\/span><\/p>\n George, a career infantry officer and West Point graduate, was nominated by former President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate in 2023. The position typically carries a four-year term, meaning George would ordinarily have served until 2027. He previously served as vice chief of staff of the Army and as senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.<\/span><\/p>\n Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell <\/span>confirmed<\/span><\/a> George\u2019s retirement, thanking him for his decades of service. George\u2019s career included deployments during Operation Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom.<\/span><\/p>\n Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the Army\u2019s current vice chief of staff and a former military aide to Hegseth, will serve as acting chief of staff. Parnell described LaNeve as \u201ca battle-tested leader\u201d trusted to carry out the administration\u2019s vision for the Army.<\/span><\/p>\n The decision comes as Hegseth has removed more than a <\/span>dozen senior military officers<\/span><\/a> in recent months, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. <\/span>C.Q. Brown<\/span><\/a>, U.S. representative to NATO\u2019s military council Vice Admiral <\/span>Shoshana Chatfield<\/span><\/a>, and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. <\/span>Jeffrey Kruse<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n While the move follows a recent dispute over an <\/span>Army helicopter flyover<\/span><\/a> near musician Kid Rock\u2019s Nashville home, where Hegseth overruled the Army and <\/span>halted an investigation<\/span><\/a>, the decision to ask George to retire was not related to that incident.<\/span><\/p>\n George\u2019s departure also comes amid a broader stretch of rapid developments inside the administration. On Wednesday, before the Pentagon shakeup came to light, President Donald Trump delivered a <\/span>prime-time address<\/span><\/a> touting progress in ongoing operations against Iran, describing significant degradation of Iranian military capabilities while signaling the potential for further escalation, which may include Army operations.<\/span><\/p>\n