A series of dismissals and conflicts triggered by the American Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, has practically left the American military without leadership, while facing the threat posed by drones and cheap yet lethal missiles that have struck U.S. bases in the Middle East.
The U.S. Army has not had a Chief of Staff – the highest military rank in this branch of the armed forces – since Hegseth dismissed General Randy George without any explanation in April. There are no indications that a successor is being prepared in the near future, current and former officials told New York Times on condition of anonymity.
Additionally, it is anticipated that the U.S. Army Secretary, Daniel P. Driscoll, the highest civilian official in this branch, will leave the administration in the coming months; he has already moved out of the spacious residence he was renting in Fort Myer, near Washington, officials stated.
This tense situation arises at a time when the U.S. Army - the largest branch of the American armed forces - is going through the most intense period of activity since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Military personnel in the army's anti-aircraft defense units play an essential role in protecting American troops in the Middle East against increasingly sophisticated Iranian missile attacks.
Moreover, the Army's European Command provides vital information and other forms of support to Ukraine as it fights to resist a numerically superior Russian force.
Hegseth Eliminates His Possible Successor
Until recently, Driscoll was widely considered a potential candidate to succeed Hegseth in the event that he decided to step down or lost the confidence of President Trump.
Driscoll and General George worked together to prepare the army to operate on a battlefield invaded by drones. Towards the end of last year, the White House asked Driscoll to play a key role in its efforts to secure a peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine.
According to officials, these peace efforts have largely stalled, the rapid modernization initiative has been curtailed, and the relationship between Driscoll and Hegseth is extremely tense, with the two barely communicating.
In addition to General George, Pete Hegseth has ousted or forced the departure of six senior officers — an entire generation of army leaders with vast combat experience — thus weakening the command echelon for years to come, officials said.
"Removing proven leaders, the most effective in battle and with the greatest frontline experience, in a time of war means that the troops are less protected, and our chances of victory diminish," said Congressman Pat Ryan, a Democrat from New York and a former military intelligence officer.
A long-term concern is that these dismissals send the message that officers who provide unvarnished military advice or do not pass ideological loyalty tests do not have a place in a force that should be apolitical, according to officials from within the army and Congress.
The Four Stars, Indicator of Leadership Void
An indicator of the leadership void at the top of the U.S. Army is the number of active-duty four-star generals.
In January 2025, when Hegseth took office, there were 10 active-duty four-star generals. Currently, this branch of the armed forces has only five, the lowest number in decades.
Some of these positions cover the command of regions of the world, such as the Middle East or Asia, and are now held by senior officers from other branches of the armed forces, the cited newspaper reports.
Some positions have been eliminated. Others, such as the role of coordinating the Army's Training and Doctrine Command, have remained vacant for months.
Last summer, Hegseth appointed General David M. Hodne to lead this command, only to dismiss him eight months later without any explanation.
This command is responsible for training and equipping the Army's ground units, including the crews of Patriot missile defense systems. Patriot systems are the main line of defense against Iranian ballistic missiles launched at U.S. bases in the Middle East.
Another essential vacant position emerged in July when Hegseth downgraded the role held by General Christopher T. Donahue — who oversaw U.S. ground troops in Europe — to the rank of a three-star general; this decision forced the Army's senior officer to retire, with no other four-star general position available.
Hegseth's Man Leads Without Support
Several lawmakers, dissatisfied with Hegseth's lack of transparency regarding military personnel appointments and ammunition stocks, blocked the confirmation process of General LaNeve. This effectively prevented him from assuming the position.
General LaNeve was sworn in as Deputy Chief of Staff in February. Less than two months later, Hegseth dismissed General George in a 15-second phone call, defense officials said.
Currently, LaNeve - Hegseth's choice to lead the Army - does not have enough support from Senate Republicans to be confirmed in the position. Typically, nominated generals and admirals for command of the armed forces branches receive unanimous or near-unanimous support in the Senate.
LaNeve now serves both as Deputy Chief of Staff and as Acting Chief, both high-ranking positions requiring the rank of a four-star general.
Advantages for U.S. Adversaries
Critics have warned that in the absence of strong leadership, the army risks being exposed to adversaries such as Russia and China, who are making rapid progress in integrating artificial intelligence and new types of drones into their military structures.
In his first major message to personnel, published online last week, General LaNeve addressed these challenges, warning that the U.S. Army must be prepared to "master an operational environment fundamentally different from battlefields of the past."
However, in discussions with senior army commanders, he expressed concern that the modernization efforts of his predecessors did not focus enough on essential combat skills, officials said. In this regard, he emphasized the need to return to the fundamentals.
"Any shortcuts in training and any deviations from discipline will be paid for with blood," he warned.
T.D.