Members of President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team are reportedly creating a list of military officers targeted for dismissal, including potentially high-ranking officials such as the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to two sources.
This proposed plan, described as an unprecedented restructuring of Pentagon leadership, remains in the preliminary stages following Trump’s November 5 election win and may evolve as his administration develops, said the sources, who requested anonymity to discuss the matter openly.
One source expressed doubts about the practicality of implementing widespread firings within the Pentagon. It remains uncertain whether Trump would personally endorse the initiative, though he has previously criticised defence leaders who opposed him.
During his campaign, Trump also spoke of “firing ‘woke’ generals” and those linked to the challenging 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal.
The Trump campaign has yet to respond to requests for comment.
The second source suggested that the incoming administration would likely target military officers associated with Mark Milley, Trump’s former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Milley was recently quoted in Bob Woodward’s book “War” referring to Trump as “fascist to the core,” sparking criticism from Trump’s allies who view Milley as disloyal.
“Every single person that was elevated and appointed by Milley will be gone,” the source commented. “There’s a very detailed list of everybody that was affiliated with Milley. And they will all be gone.”
The Joint Chiefs of Staff, comprised of top-ranking officers from the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, National Guard, and Space Force, represents the highest echelon of US military leadership. News of the proposed plan follows Trump’s recent selection of Pete Hegseth, a Fox News commentator and military veteran, as his nominee for defence secretary. Hegseth has advocated for substantial reforms within the Pentagon’s senior leadership.
“The next president of the United States needs to radically overhaul Pentagon senior leadership to make us ready to defend our nation and defeat our enemies. Lots of people need to be fired,” Hegseth stated in his 2024 book The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free.
However, questions remain about Hegseth’s managerial experience and whether this could affect his Senate confirmation, as well as whether a more traditional nominee would be willing to enact such significant dismissals.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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