Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) raised concerns that Pentagon leadership changes, including the removal of a senior U.S. Army commander, may reflect personal grievances and could weaken independent military advice to the government.
Army Leadership Shake-Up Raises Questions
On Sunday, speaking on “Face the Nation,” Kaine said the sudden exit of U.S. Army Europe commander Gen. Chris Donahue surprised lawmakers and raised unanswered questions inside Congress.
Donahue, widely respected on both sides of the aisle, has been ordered to submit retirement papers and is set to relinquish command on July 2, followed by his NATO role on July 9.
Kaine said lawmakers have yet to receive clear explanations from the Pentagon. “A lot of questions and very few answers,” he said, adding that the situation “caught us all by surprise.”
He also pointed to broader concerns raised by retired Adm. Bill McRaven, who warned that removing senior officers could discourage honest military advice.
McRaven said officers must remain “brutally candid,” but recent firings could make leaders more cautious and increase the risk of military miscalculation.
Kaine suggested Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth may be acting out of personal resentment toward the Army.
“He served in the Army, he felt like he wasn’t treated well by the Army, that’s a grudge he’s carried,” Kaine said, questioning whether the moves are “a personal thing, or is it really what’s best for the nation.”
Pentagon Leadership Changes
Earlier, Army CIO Leonel Garciga said the main challenge in modernization was adapting personnel to rapidly changing tools, not the technology itself.
He noted the Army had shifted to faster deployment of AI systems and delegated more authority to commanders, while acknowledging many workers still required additional training to keep pace.
In a separate move, Navy Secretary John Phelan departed after just over a year in office.
The Pentagon said he left “effective immediately” without providing a reason, and Navy Undersecretary Hung Cao was named interim replacement.
Reports cited concerns over chain-of-command issues tied to his access to President Donald Trump.
The Defense Department also denied allegations involving Hegseth, rejecting a report that a broker attempted to move millions into defense stocks ahead of U.S. military operations against Iran.
The Pentagon called the claims false and a baseless smear.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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