Trump Administration Fires DIA General Over Iran Assessment

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The Trump administration has removed Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), after the agency’s preliminary assessment of recent U.S. strikes in Iran contradicted the president’s public claims. According to multiple officials familiar with the decision, Kruse’s dismissal occurred as part of a wider Pentagon reshuffle that also saw two senior Navy leaders relieved of their posts.

Kruse, who assumed leadership of the DIA in early 2024, oversaw intelligence reporting on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. The agency’s initial findings indicated that the June U.S. strikes had inflicted limited damage on Iranian facilities, a conclusion that conflicted with President Trump’s statements that the attacks had destroyed the sites entirely. The discrepancy reportedly drew criticism from senior administration officials and from the president himself.

A senior defense official confirmed Kruse’s removal, stating only that he would no longer serve as DIA director. No official explanation for the decision was provided. Before leading the DIA, Kruse served as the military adviser to the director of national intelligence and previously directed intelligence for coalition operations against the Islamic State.

Friday’s Pentagon changes also included the dismissal of Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore, chief of the Navy Reserve, and Rear Admiral Milton Sands, commander of Naval Special Warfare. Sources indicated that neither officer was given a reason for their removal.

Reaction in Congress was swift. Senator Mark Warner, vice chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said the action raised serious concerns. “The firing of yet another senior national security official underscores the Trump administration’s dangerous habit of treating intelligence as a loyalty test rather than a safeguard for our country,” Warner stated.

The removals follow a series of senior-level dismissals since Trump began his second term in January. Officers who have left include General Charles “CQ” Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, along with leaders of the Navy, Coast Guard, and National Security Agency. The vice chief of staff of the Air Force, a NATO-assigned Navy admiral, and three senior military lawyers have also been dismissed.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has simultaneously announced a downsizing of senior military ranks, reducing the number of active duty four-star generals and admirals by at least 20 percent, and trimming general and flag officer positions overall by 10 percent.

Separately, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has revoked security clearances for 37 current and former intelligence officials under Trump’s directive. She has also ordered a 40 percent reduction in her office’s personnel by October 1, citing projected savings of more than $700 million annually.

The sweeping reshuffle has prompted debate in Washington about the potential politicization of the military and intelligence community, institutions that have historically sought to remain apolitical.