Pentagon Purge Deepens as Hegseth Fires DIA Chief Jeffrey Kruse

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Trump-era Pentagon shake-up raises fears of politicized intelligence as DIA Director Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse is ousted

By TRH Global Affairs Desk

NEW DELHI, August 22, 2025 — US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth’s decision to fire Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, director of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), has intensified the ongoing Pentagon purge, with critics warning of a dangerous slide toward politicized intelligence.

Kruse’s abrupt dismissal, framed as a “loss of confidence,” follows a series of high-profile exits of senior military leaders under the Trump administration. The timing has stoked speculation that the ouster is tied to a leaked DIA assessment that undercut White House claims about the effectiveness of US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June. The Washington Post reported that the DIA concluded the strikes were less successful than advertised, contradicting President Trump’s triumphalist narrative.

MSNBC commentator Steve Benen captured the unease: “The DIA told the White House what it didn’t want to hear. Soon after, Pete Hegseth reportedly fired its director.” For critics, the message is chilling—intelligence must align with politics, or careers will be cut short.

The Syria Leak Factor

Kruse’s firing also coincides with the fallout of a separate controversy: a leak of sensitive US military plans in Syria via Telegram earlier this year. The leak reportedly originated from a Signal group chat involving senior Pentagon officials and, inadvertently, a journalist. Though Hegseth has downplayed the breach, The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg called it a “shocking lapse” in national security discipline.

The Pentagon probe into the leak led to the dismissal of three senior Hegseth aides, deepening the sense of chaos. Critics now question whether Hegseth’s leadership style—marked by loyalty tests and purges—is weakening the Pentagon’s institutional stability at a volatile moment.

Reactions: Polarized and Alarmed

On X, pro-Trump voices praised the move as a long-overdue removal of “Biden holdovers,” while critics decried it as political retribution. Former defence secretaries, including Jim Mattis, issued a joint warning to Congress, condemning the purge as “reckless” and urging urgent oversight hearings. Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton likened the Pentagon’s direction to authoritarian militaries in Russia and China.

For Trump and Hegseth, the Pentagon reshuffle is part of a broader effort to align military and intelligence operations with “America First” priorities, even if it means sidelining dissenting voices. But the risks are mounting: an intelligence community pressured into compliance, a defence secretary mired in leaks and purges, and a military establishment facing delayed budgets and deepening mistrust.

In Washington’s power struggles, truth is often the first casualty. With Kruse’s firing, many now fear that independent intelligence may be next.

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