U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has dismissed several senior military and intelligence officials, including Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), following a preliminary intelligence assessment on U.S. airstrikes against Iranian nuclear sites that contradicted President Donald Trump’s claims.
No official reasons were provided for the firings, which also include Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore, chief of the Navy Reserve, and Rear Adm. Milton Sands, overseeing Naval Special Warfare Command. The moves are seen as part of a broader effort by the administration to demand loyalty from government officials and suppress dissent.
The initial DIA assessment reportedly found that Iran’s nuclear program was delayed only a few months, contradicting statements by Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had claimed the program was “completely obliterated.”
These dismissals follow a series of recent actions targeting military leaders, intelligence officials, and other critics of the administration, including revocation of security clearances and early retirements of top officers. Congressional Democrats have expressed concern that such firings undermine the integrity of the U.S. intelligence community.
Sen. Mark Warner warned that the administration treats intelligence as a loyalty test, while Rep. Jim Himes called for transparency regarding Kruse’s dismissal, citing fears of a politically motivated atmosphere within intelligence agencies.
The Pentagon has offered no public explanation for the firings. Analysts note that previous dismissals by Trump’s administration have also targeted officials responsible for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, climate data, and vaccine studies.
