Hegseth fired Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George on April 2, 2026, along with two other senior generals, removing the Army's top uniformed leader during active combat against Iran in a decision driven by a promotion list dispute and widely read as part of a broader purge of officers not aligned with the administration.

DoD civilians report degraded performance and low morale one year into Hegseth's workforce reduction program, with the department now operating on a wartime footing against Iran. The simultaneous demand for border duty volunteers further strains a reduced civilian workforce, creating documented friction in logistics and support functions during active combat operations