Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth relieved Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse of command Friday, citing a “loss of confidence.” Kruse was director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.
The firing follows the leak of a preliminary DIA report to the press. That report contradicted President Trump’s public statement that recent U.S. airstrikes had crippled Iran’s nuclear program. The leaked assessment claimed the strikes only delayed Iran’s capabilities by a few months.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called the firing “alarming” and part of a trend of politicizing intelligence.
The Washington Times continues:
The initial damage assessment from the DIA, which was leaked just days after the June 21 U.S. airstrikes on Iran, said that Iran’s nuclear program was set back only a few months as a result of the attacks. That contradicted public statements from President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials from both of those nations.
Mr. Hegseth pushed back on the initial report and specifically asserted that the U.S. operation devastated the Iranian nuclear enrichment site at Fordo. Officials said at the time of the leak, it was far too early to draw any firm conclusions about the extent of the damage. Mr. Hegseth and other administration officials also blasted those who leaked the report.
“And given the 30,000 pounds of explosives and capability of those munitions, it was devastation underneath Fordo, and the amount of munitions, six per location,” Mr. Hegseth said on June 25. “Any assessment that tells you it was something otherwise is speculating with other motives, and we know that because when you actually look at the report, by the way, it was a top secret report, it was preliminary, it was low confidence.”
Other officials have said they believe Iran’s nuclear program suffered much more significant damage. Rep. Michael McCaul, Texas Republican and chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told the Threat Status weekly podcast recently that the U.S. strikes set Iran’s program back by “one to two years.”
Supporters of Hegseth’s decision say the move is part of a broader overhaul of the national security establishment — including recent high-level dismissals and budget cuts at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
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Bravo Pete
Well done Secretary Hegseth!
We cannot tolerate insubordinate officers, no matter how high their rank.
From a US Navy Veteran