Dismissed Officials
1. Former Army Chief of Staff, General Randy George: George retired in April, just weeks after the start of the war with Iran. Multiple reports indicate that Defense Secretary Hergsays called for George's resignation, with more than a year remaining in his term.
2. Former Army General Christopher Donahoe: Donahoe announced his departure in July after 18 months as Commander of the U.S. Army in Europe and Africa. According to The Washington Post, Hergsays' opposition to extending Donahoe's career led to his departure.
3. Former Deputy Army Chief of Staff, General James Mingus: Mingus served as Deputy Army Chief of Staff for less than two years, while the typical term is three years. Before Mingus publicly announced his departure, Trump nominated Lieutenant General Christopher Laneff, who had previously served as a senior military aide to Hergsays, to succeed him. Mingus was reportedly forced into early retirement.
4. Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Charles Quinton Brown Jr.: Brown was the highest-ranking officer in the U.S. military. Trump dismissed him last February, when his four-year term had only lasted about 16 months. Hegses had previously recommended Brown's dismissal due to his DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies.
5. Former Chief of Naval Operations, Lisa Franketti: Franketti was the first woman to serve as Chief of Naval Operations and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Hegses dismissed her in a leadership purge in February 2025. According to CNN, Hegses described Franketti as a "DEI hire."
6. Former Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General James Slevin: Hegses removed Slevin from his post in a leadership purge in February 2025. This move occurred amidst widespread military reforms at the time. Former President Biden nominated Brown, Franketti, and Slevin for their respective positions.
7. Former Air Force Chief of Staff, General David Alvin: Alvin served as Air Force Chief of Staff and announced his retirement in August 2025, halfway through his four-year term. The Washington Post reported at the time that the Pentagon had requested Alvin's retirement.
8. Former Southern Command Commander, General Alvin Halsey: Halsey announced his retirement in October 2025, approximately one year into his three-year term. His departure comes as Southern Command oversees Trump's military operations against suspected drug-dealing vessels off the Venezuelan coast.
9. Former NSA Director and Cyber Command Commander, General Timothy Horn: Horn was relieved of his duties in April 2025 without official explanation. Multiple reports indicate this occurred shortly after far-right activist Laura Lumer pressured Trump to dismiss him.
10. Former Defense Intelligence Agency Director, Lieutenant General Jeffrey Cruise: Cruise was dismissed in August 2025 after the Defense Intelligence Agency reportedly issued an assessment of the earlier summer's strikes against Iran, an assessment that reportedly angered Trump. The Pentagon has never officially announced the reason for Cruise's departure.
New Appointments
1. In April of this year, Trump nominated Matt O'Malley as Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.
2. In April of this year, Trump nominated Erich Buckrow as Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration.
3. In August of this year, Trump's nominee, Dr. Roger Mason Jr., was confirmed by the Senate to become Director of the National Reconnaissance Office.
4. On September 2, Trump announced the nomination of Kao Hung (of Vietnamese descent) as the next Secretary of the Navy and urged the Senate to confirm the nomination as soon as possible.
