US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has terminated Lt Gen Jeffrey Kruse from his position as head of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), alongside two other senior military commanders. The Pentagon has not provided specific reasons for these dismissals, which follow a recent White House criticism of a DIA report concerning the implications of US strikes on Iran.
In June, President Donald Trump publicly disputed the DIA’s assessment, which suggested that these attacks had minimally hindered Iran’s nuclear program by only a few months. The White House characterized the report as “flat out wrong,” causing a notable backlash. Trump had previously stated that the Iranian nuclear sites were “completely destroyed,” alleging media efforts to undermine what he deemed a successful military endeavor.
During the NATO summit, Hegseth remarked that the report was based on “low intelligence,” and indicated that the FBI was investigating the leak of this contentious document. The DIA specializes in military intelligence relevant to operations and gathers a range of technical intelligence, differentiating it from agencies like the CIA.
Reports indicate that Hegseth’s actions included the removal of the chief of US Naval Reserves and the commander of Naval Special Warfare Command. Senator Mark Warner has highlighted Kruse’s dismissal as indicative of a concerning trend, suggesting that Trump may prioritize loyalty over objective intelligence analysis.
In recent months, Trump has dismissed several officials whose evaluations conflicted with his perspectives, including Erica McEntarfer, the Commissioner of Labor Statistics, after a report showed slowing job growth, and General Timothy Haugh, the director of the National Security Agency. Hegseth has also dismissed other military officials, continuing a pattern of high-profile leadership changes within the Pentagon.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2dj217z2w6o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss