longer.blue

“ Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s string of firings and feuds has left the Army without a chief of staff since he dismissed Gen. Randy George without explanation in April, and there is no sign a replacement is imminent; officials say Hegseth has also forced out at least three other senior officers viewed as potential successors. As recently as January 2025, the Army had 10 four star generals on active duty; it now has just five, the fewest in decades, with key posts like the Transformation and Training Command sitting empty for months after Hegseth fired Gen. David M. Hodne without explanation. Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll, once seen as a possible Hegseth successor, is also expected to leave in the coming months and is reportedly barely on speaking terms with Hegseth, even as the peace effort he was leading on Ukraine has stalled. Critics, including Rep. Pat Ryan, a Democrat and former Army intelligence officer, warn that purging battle tested leaders makes troops less safe and erodes the military’s apolitical character, while the Army’s official statement insists its leaders remain focused on readiness and modernization.” via Aaron Parnas today