Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has asked Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to step down from his position and retire immediately, according to Pentagon officials who confirmed the departure on Thursday.

George, who has served as the Army's 41st chief of staff since August 2023, is a West Point graduate and infantry officer who served in the Gulf War as well as operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He previously served as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's top military aide from 2021 to 2022 during the Biden administration before taking on senior Army leadership roles.

The removal of George represents the latest in a series of leadership changes implemented by Hegseth since taking office. More than a dozen generals and admirals have either been fired, asked to retire early, or been removed from their posts under Hegseth's tenure as Defense Secretary.

Earlier leadership changes included the removal of Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the Navy's top uniformed officer, and General Jim Silfe, the second-ranking leader at the Air Force. President Trump also previously dismissed General Charles Brown from his position as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

George's deputy, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. James Mingus, had also departed his position after less than two years when Trump nominated Lt. Gen. Christopher LaNeve for the role. LaNeve had been serving as Hegseth's top military aide after being moved from commanding the Eighth Army in South Korea.

The Pentagon confirmed George's departure through Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell. The leadership changes come as the military faces ongoing operational demands and as Hegseth implements what sources describe as his vision for military leadership structure.