Pentagon upheaval: Trump concerned by scale of Hegseth purge rattling top ranks

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has presided over a sweeping turnover at the Pentagon, with Army Secretary Dan Driscoll the latest senior official to exit and Trump reportedly surprised by the scale. The shake‑up has seen a string of service chiefs and top leaders leave or be replaced—including Gen. Charles Brown Jr., Adm. Lisa Franchetti, Gen. Tim Haugh, Gen. David Allvin, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, Gen. Randy George, Navy Secretary John Phelan and Gen. Christopher Donahue—amid intra‑department feuds, loyalty mandates, and culture‑war clashes. The turmoil comes as the U.S. wades through a prolonged Iran conflict, raising concerns about readiness and munitions stockpiles and highlighting broader questions about the department’s direction under Hegseth.