Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), after the agency’s leaked assessment questioned the effectiveness of U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The leak came after Operation Midnight Hammer in June, when U.S. aircraft struck Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan sites. President Donald Trump declared the program “completely and fully obliterated,” but DIA’s preliminary findings said the attacks had set Iran back only a few months.
At the time, Hegseth accused the media of amplifying doubts about the strikes:
“You have to cheer against the efficacy of these strikes … This was an historically successful attack,” Hegseth told reporters.
Navy Leaders Also Dismissed
In addition to Kruse, Hegseth also removed two senior Navy officials:
Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore, Chief of the Navy Reserve, who oversaw 59,000 reserve personnel. A career naval aviator with 1,300 flight hours, Lacore previously commanded the U.S. base in Djibouti. The Pentagon did not provide a reason for her dismissal.
Rear Adm. Milton “Jamie” Sands III, Commander of Naval Special Warfare Command. A decorated Navy SEAL, Sands had served in Iraq and Afghanistan and held senior roles at U.S. Special Operations Command. His removal was also unexplained.
A Navy spokesperson confirmed both removals, saying the changes were “effective immediately.”
Part of a Wider Shake-Up
The moves come amid a broader shake-up of the military under Trump and Hegseth.
In recent months, the administration has removed several top-ranking officers, including Air Force Gen. C.Q. Brown Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Navy’s top officer, the Air Force’s second-highest-ranking officer, and the top lawyers for three service branches.
Fallout From the Leak
The disputed DIA assessment was first leaked to CNN and other outlets, with coverage suggesting Iran’s nuclear program remained largely intact. The White House dismissed the report as “flat-out wrong,” saying it undermined U.S. pilots and exaggerated Tehran’s resilience.
The firings underscore Trump’s demand for tighter loyalty among the Pentagon’s leadership as his administration pushes its “peace through strength” doctrine.
