Author：Wall Street CN
A power struggle is unfolding at the Pentagon – Defense Secretary Hagersese has abruptly purged the Army’s top brass during the ongoing war with Iran.
According to the New York Post, citing sources familiar with the matter, the driving force behind this was not military considerations, but rather anxieties about his own position. The report indicates that Hagerseth requested the immediate resignation of Army Chief of Staff General Randy George on Thursday, without publicly stating the reasons.
At the same time, General David Hodne, commander of the Army Transformation and Training Command, and Major General William Green of the Army Chaplaincy Corps were also dismissed, with the Pentagon stating only that "it is time for a leadership change."
Several current and former government officials revealed that the real background to this purge was Hagers' deep suspicion of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll—who feared that Driscoll was plotting to replace him as defense minister.
Where does "paranoia" come from?
"It all stems from the insecurity and paranoia that Hagers developed after the 'Signalgate' scandal," an official told the New York Post. "Unfortunately, some of his closest aides not only failed to calm things down, but actually added fuel to the fire."
The so-called "Signalgate" refers to the incident in March 2025 when Hagers accidentally added a journalist to a group chat of national security officials, after which his political standing has been under continuous pressure ever since.
A source close to the Trump administration further explained the logic: "He was very worried about being fired, and he knew Driscoll was one of the strongest candidates to succeed him. So what Hagers had been doing was targeting everyone he thought was closely associated with Driscoll and then taking them down. This is the latest and most notable example of this."
The source also revealed, "Hedges wanted to fire Driscoll, but the White House told him he couldn't do so, at least not for now."
Why is Driscoll so feared by Hergace?
Driscoll is no ordinary person. He was a Yale Law School classmate of U.S. Vice President Vance, and both served in the Iraq War. Last summer, Driscoll's name was mentioned as a potential successor to Hagersese.
Last autumn, Driscoll's trip abroad as a negotiator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict became a pivotal moment that deepened Hagers's suspicions. A source stated, "Pete was extremely uneasy about Driscoll speaking behind his back with others in the military. The final straw for Hagers was Vance's arrangement for Driscoll to go to Ukraine as the chief negotiator for that meeting."
Meanwhile, discussions have emerged within the Pentagon regarding Driscoll's successor. A government official stated that Sean Parnell, Hedges's chief spokesman, is "marketing himself" to secure the position of Secretary of the Army should Driscoll be dismissed.
The timing of the internal strife raises concerns.
The timing of this personnel upheaval is particularly sensitive. According to Xinhua News Agency, Trump delivered a prime-time televised address on Wednesday evening, April 1st, outlining his vision for a swift end to the war with Iran. The very next day, the Army's top general was dismissed.
A source stated bluntly, "This completely undermines the president's intended message that 'the war is progressing well.'"
Trump's recent cabinet reshuffle—including the firing of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem last month and Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday—has further intensified the power struggle within the Pentagon. Sources say the infighting "happened at the worst possible time."
There are currently no indications that Trump is prepared to fire Hagers or Driscoll immediately, but the power struggle between the two sides has pushed their respective political risks to a new high.
