WASHINGTON: The head of the US Defence Intelligence Agency and two other senior officers are being removed in the latest series of military dismissals this year.
Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse will no longer serve as DIA director after the agency produced a preliminary assessment contradicting presidential claims about Iran strikes.
The assessment stated US strikes on Iran set back Tehran’s nuclear program by just a few months rather than completely destroying the sites as claimed.
This contradiction drew ire from both President Donald Trump and officials within his administration according to reports.
A senior defence official confirmed Kruse’s removal on condition of anonymity without providing explanation for the general’s departure.
Two other senior officers are also leaving their positions according to separate anonymous official sources.
Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore, chief of Navy Reserve, and Rear Admiral Milton Sands, commander of the Naval Special Warfare Command, complete the latest removals.
The United States launched a massive operation against three Iranian nuclear sites in June involving more than 125 US aircraft and a guided missile submarine.
Trump repeatedly called the strikes a spectacular military success that obliterated the nuclear sites despite the DIA assessment raising doubts.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth insisted the assessment was leaked because someone had an agenda to try to muddy the waters and make it look like this historic strike wasn’t successful.
Since beginning his second term in January, Trump has overseen a purge of top military officers including chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff general Charles Brown.
Other senior officers dismissed this year include the heads of the Navy and Coast Guard along with the general who headed the National Security Agency.
The vice chief of staff of the Air Force, a Navy admiral assigned to NATO, and three top military lawyers were also removed from their positions.
The chief of staff of the Air Force recently announced his retirement without explanation just two years into a four-year term.
Hegseth has insisted the president is simply choosing the leaders he wants despite concerns about potential politicization of the traditionally neutral US military.
The Pentagon chief additionally ordered at least a 20% reduction in active-duty four-star generals and admirals earlier this year.
A 10% cut in the overall number of general and flag officers completes the restructuring of military leadership. – AFP