The United States Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, has dismissed Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), alongside two other senior Navy officials. Kruse was reportedly let go due to a preliminary intelligence assessment from the DIA that indicated limited damage from a US attack on Iranian nuclear sites in June, contradicting President Donald Trump’s claims of complete destruction.
The firings, which took place on Friday, are part of the Trump administration’s ongoing effort to replace officials at the Department of Defense. The reasons for Kruse’s dismissal are not immediately clear, but President Trump had previously criticized the agency’s findings.
Speaking to Reuters and Associated Press, officials familiar with the situation confirmed that two other military commanders, Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore and Rear Admiral Milton Sands, were also fired. The three dismissed officials said they were unaware of the reasons for their termination.
Critics argue that the firings reflect the administration’s dangerously disrespectful treatment of intelligence as a loyalty test rather than a safeguard. Since January, Trump has seen the removal of several high-ranking military officers, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other senior positions.
Democratic lawmakers are concerned about the potential politicization of the traditionally neutral US military under the Trump administration. In addition to the firings, Hegseth has encouraged a reduction in the number of active-duty four-star generals and admirals in the military, as well as a cut in the overall number of military officers.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/23/us-general-whose-report-on-iran-nuclear-sites-damage-angered-trump-fired?traffic_source=rss
