Reports say George resisted an instruction to drop four officers — two Black men and two women — from a promotion list. At a Senate hearing Hegseth denied that President Trump ordered him to single out officers. The abrupt nature of the firings has left staff scrambling.
Insiders describe an atmosphere of fear where daily choices are weighed for political impact. Concerns were also raised that key planners were kept out of the loop before an action against Iran and that deployed troops were probed about leaks. The Pentagon spokesman pushed back, calling the coverage politically motivated.