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Hegseth Is Purging Military Leaders With Little Explanation
The New York Times ^ | Nov. 7, 2025 | Greg Jaffe, Eric Schmitt and Helene Cooper

Posted on 11/09/2025 4:05:36 PM PST by MinorityRepublican

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired or sidelined at least two dozen generals and admirals over the past nine months in a series of ousters that could reshape the U.S. military for years to come.

His actions, which are without precedent in recent decades, have come with little explanation. In many cases, they have run counter to the advice of top military leaders who fought alongside the officers in combat, senior military officials said.

The utter unpredictability of Mr. Hegseth’s moves, as described in interviews with 20 current and former military officials, has created an atmosphere of anxiety and mistrust that has forced senior officers to take sides and, at times, pitted them against one another.

Mr. Hegseth has delayed or canceled the promotions of at least four senior military officers because they previously worked for Gen. Mark A. Milley, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff whom President Trump loathes and has repeatedly accused of disloyalty. One is Maj. Gen. James Patrick Work, who was expected to be the deputy commander at U.S. Central Command, which oversees troops in the Middle East, officials said.

General Work, one of the Army’s most combat-experienced officers, played a crucial role leading U.S. and Iraqi troops to victory over the Islamic State in Mosul during the first Trump administration. He also served as General Milley’s executive officer in 2018, which might have led Mr. Hegseth to view him with skepticism, senior Army officials said.

Despite the strong backing of top Army leaders, General Work remains in limbo, his future uncertain, senior military officials said.

Other officers fell out of favor after being targeted on social media by right-wing influencers or because they had voiced support years earlier for diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: antifajournalists; arrestcarlosslim; arrestericschmitt; arrestgregjaffe; arresthelenecooper; designatedterrorists; dow; enemycombatants; enemyjournalists; ericschmitt; explanationnotneeded; fakenews; gregjaffe; hegseth; helenecooper; mexicanownedrag; newyorkslimes; nytsedition
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1 posted on 11/09/2025 4:05:36 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Blind to the fact that Obama and Biden purged every non-woke general and admiral.


2 posted on 11/09/2025 4:08:12 PM PST by pghoilman (Earth First. We'll drill the rest of the galaxy later.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

He doesn’t owe anyone any explanations.

Since at least the time of Obama, bad people have been given preferential treatment. A purge of those at those at the top is a good idea.


3 posted on 11/09/2025 4:08:25 PM PST by ClearCase_guy (Democrats seek power through cheating and assassination. They are sociopaths. They just want power.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

sort of like when gay boy obama fired all the america first normal military generals and replaced them all with woke faggot generals?


4 posted on 11/09/2025 4:08:30 PM PST by imabadboy99
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To: pghoilman

“that could reshape the U.S. military for years to come”

Winning!


5 posted on 11/09/2025 4:10:05 PM PST by Macoozie (Roll MAGA, roll!)
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To: MinorityRepublican
His actions, which are without precedent in recent decades, have come with little explanation.

Except the precedent by Benedict Obeyme...

6 posted on 11/09/2025 4:10:08 PM PST by kiryandil (No one in AZ that voted for Trump voted for Gallego )
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To: MinorityRepublican

We have too many flag officers for the size and responsibilities of the force.


7 posted on 11/09/2025 4:10:17 PM PST by Reily
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To: MinorityRepublican

Everyone of them were complacent in poisoning the entire US Military with the DEADLY COVID JAB... FIRE MORE... before we go to war for real. Think 1936... fire more... now. Run Louisiana type maneuvers, grade them on their ability in the field and fire more. Get young and fast.


8 posted on 11/09/2025 4:10:27 PM PST by WinstonSmith1984 (Make 1984 fiction again.)
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To: ClearCase_guy
. A purge of those at those at the top is a good idea.

Even if some of them are probably competent, it's a good idea to purge them anyway especially if they were promoted during the Obama/Biden Era.

9 posted on 11/09/2025 4:11:25 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: Macoozie

👍👍👍


10 posted on 11/09/2025 4:13:24 PM PST by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Pete Hegseth. Secretary of War.

https://www.war.gov/About/Secretary-of-War/


11 posted on 11/09/2025 4:14:31 PM PST by Blennos (This is the official Blennos tagline. Thanks to Big Red Badger. )
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To: MinorityRepublican

Without precedent?! The writer is a liar and or and an idiot, and I highly suspect liar. Obama purged a lot of valuable senior officers because he knew they would not go along with his “fundamental transformation”.


12 posted on 11/09/2025 4:16:40 PM PST by GrumpyOldGuy
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To: MinorityRepublican

The NYT didn’t complain when Obama sacked dozens of commanders.


13 posted on 11/09/2025 4:16:47 PM PST by Steely Tom ([Voter Fraud] == [Civil War])
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To: MinorityRepublican
His actions, which are without precedent in recent decades

His actions, which are without precedent in Republican Administrations

There, fixed it.

14 posted on 11/09/2025 4:20:36 PM PST by Ronaldus Magnus III (Do, or do not, there is no try )
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To: MinorityRepublican

My father served 30 years on active duty after being a fighter pilot in WWII. I was commissioned in 1968 and served, active and reserve, until 1994. We have far too many generals and admirals.

Here’s a comparison with WWII:

https://ndupress.ndu.edu/Media/News/News-Article-View/Article/1325984/are-there-too-many-general-officers-for-todays-military/

With instant communications everywhere today, there is no need for all those “perfumed princes” as Hackworth called them. I would not criticize Hegseth if he told them all they were going to retire in 30 days, though he would probably recall a few to active duty after things sorted out a bit.


15 posted on 11/09/2025 4:22:36 PM PST by Cincinnatus.45-70 (What do DemocRats enjoy more than a truckload of dead babies? Unloading them with a pitchfork!)
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To: pghoilman

Obama’s Military Coup Purges 197 Officers In Five Years

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4278322/posts


16 posted on 11/09/2025 4:22:56 PM PST by Pollard
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To: pghoilman

Precisely.

PS - to hell with Manchurian Candidate Halfrican!!!


17 posted on 11/09/2025 4:25:29 PM PST by dadgum (Fight to WIN or do not fight at all !!!)
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To: MinorityRepublican

YOU might not get the explanation, but I know the accused damned sure do!


18 posted on 11/09/2025 4:25:49 PM PST by CodeToad
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To: MinorityRepublican

So did Obumagabe.

NYT takes a break from licking their jihadist mayor’s sandals to waste our time with this.


19 posted on 11/09/2025 4:26:44 PM PST by Skooz (Gabba Gabba accept you we accept you one of us Gabba Gabba we accept you we accept you one of us )
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To: pghoilman

but that’s the explanation the NYT likes—”non-woke”


20 posted on 11/09/2025 4:32:59 PM PST by sopo
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