Defense Intelligence Agency Head Facing Removal, Confirms Source
In a series of shakeups within the U.S. military, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, the head of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), has been removed from his position. This development follows a string of senior officer dismissals orchestrated by President Donald Trump since the beginning of his second term.
Lt. Gen. Jeffrey A. Kruse was appointed as the DIA director in February 2024, nominated by President Joe Biden. However, he was fired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in August 2025, after a leaked intelligence report conflicted with public statements by President Trump. The senior defense official who made this announcement chose to remain anonymous and provided no further explanation.
The removal of Lt. Gen. Kruse comes after a preliminary assessment by the DIA that U.S. strikes on Iran in June had only set back Tehran’s nuclear program by a few months. This contradicted President Trump's public claims that the strikes had "totally destroyed" Iran's nuclear sites, a discrepancy that angered both the president and members of his administration.
Defense Secretary Hegseth has defended the shakeups, stating that Trump is choosing leaders he trusts. Alongside Lt. Gen. Kruse, other senior officers, including Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Air Force chief of staff, have been removed without explanation during Trump's second term.
Hegseth also ordered a 20% reduction in the number of active-duty four-star generals and admirals, and a 10% cut in the overall number of general and flag officers. The heads of the Navy and Coast Guard have been removed this year, as well as a Navy admiral assigned to NATO.
The Air Force vice chief of staff has also been removed this year. Democratic lawmakers have raised alarms over the perceived politicization of the U.S. military, expressing concerns about the impact of these changes on national security.
This purge of senior officers has sparked a debate about the role of politics in the military decision-making process. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how these changes will impact the U.S. military and its strategic relationships with other nations.
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