"General Randy A. George will leave his position as the 41st Army Chief of Staff to retire, effective immediately. The Department of Defense is grateful for General George's decades of service to the nation. We wish him all the best in his retirement", Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced on 2/4.
Parnell did not specify the reason for the decision. General George had held the position of Army Chief of Staff, a role typically lasting four years, since 8/2023.
CBS previously cited informed sources, reporting that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth requested General George's immediate retirement. This move aims to replace him with a leader who will align with Hegseth's and President Donald Trump's vision for the army.
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US Army Chief of Staff Randy George at an event in Washington in 9/2025. Photo: AP
Born in 1964, General George served nearly four decades in the military. He completed multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, holding positions such as Vice Chief of Staff of the Army and senior military advisor to the Secretary of Defense under former President Joe Biden.
General George is the latest in a series of high-ranking military officials to lose their positions during President Trump's second term. Previously, Trump fired Charles Brown from his role as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2/2025 without stating a reason.
The list of those removed also includes commanders of the navy and coast guard, the head of the National Security Agency, the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, a naval admiral serving at NATO, and three top military lawyers.
The US Air Force Chief of Staff also announced his retirement without stating a reason, despite serving only two years of a four-year term. Additionally, the commander of the US Southern Command retired after one year in office.
Secretary Hegseth stated that President Trump simply chose the leaders he wanted. However, Democratic lawmakers expressed concern about the potential politicization of the US military, a force with a tradition of neutrality.
Pham Giang (According to AFP, CBS)
