Hegseth fires the Pentagon's top military planner even as Trump considers new Iran strikes | PBS News - 联众世界娱乐平台

Hegseth fires the Pentagon's top military planner even as Trump considers new Iran strikes

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired the Pentagon's top military planner, a defense official said Wednesday, the latest in a series of generals to be ousted and one that comes even as President Donald Trump is weighing renewed strikes on Iran in the eight-month-long war. [...] Hegseth said last month that he ordered the military to double the cuts to the overall number of top officers to a 20% decrease to be completed by Jan. 1, 2027. There are currently roughly 800 flag and general officer positions.

"I call it accountability and long overdue," Hegseth told junior officers and enlisted leaders at the Marine Corps Base Quantico on Sept. 30.

Some members of Congress have criticized cuts to the ranks of generals as a "purge" that will take years to rebuild. [...] He is the latest in nearly two dozen generals, admirals and other military leaders to be fired, forced to retire or otherwise depart under Hegseth's tenure — almost all of which have not been publicly explained by the Pentagon. That includes the civilian secretaries of the Army and Navy as well as some top uniformed officers for the military services.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment late Wednesday.