Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has asked Gen. Randy George to step down as Chief of Staff of the Army and retire effective immediately, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the move in a statement on X Thursday evening, saying George is "retiring from his position as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army effective immediately." Parnell added, "The Department of War is grateful for General George’s decades of service to our nation. We wish him well in his retirement."

Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the current vice chief of staff of the Army and Hegseth's former military aide, will serve as acting Army chief of staff. Parnell described LaNeve as "a battle-tested leader with decades of operational experience and is completely trusted by Secretary Hegseth to carry out the vision of this administration without fault." LaNeve previously commanded the Army's 82nd Airborne Division from 2022 to 2023.

George, a 1988 West Point graduate and career infantry officer, assumed the Army's top uniformed post in September 2023 after Senate confirmation. He served in Operation Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom. Before becoming chief, he was vice chief of staff of the Army and senior military assistant to former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. He was expected to serve at least until this summer.

One source said Hegseth wants an Army leader who will fully implement President Donald Trump and Hegseth's vision for the service. The decision comes amid ongoing U.S. military operations against Iran, though no direct connection was specified.

This is the latest in a series of high-level Pentagon changes under Hegseth. He has removed more than a dozen senior officers, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. C.Q. Brown, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Slife. Hegseth, a former Fox News host and Trump appointee, has moved aggressively to align military leadership with the administration's national security priorities.

George's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday.