Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has dismissed a top U.S. general whose agency’s early intelligence assessment regarding the impact of U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites infuriated President Donald Trump, The Associated Press reported Friday, citing two sources and a senior White House official.
Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse has been removed from his position as head of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). The decision marks the latest shake-up in U.S. military and intelligence leadership, coming just months after details of the initial assessment were leaked to the press.
The leaked report — published by outlets including CNN and The New York Times — asserted that U.S. strikes had only delayed Iran’s nuclear program by a few months, a conclusion that stood in direct conflict with statements from President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
A frustrated Trump blasted the coverage at the time, writing on Truth Social: “Fake news CNN, together with the failing New York Times, have teamed up in an attempt to demean one of the most successful military strikes in history. The nuclear sites in Iran are completely destroyed! Both the Times and CNN are getting slammed by the public!”
In late July, Trump demanded that CNN issue an apology for its reporting, referencing an interview on Fox News in which Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi admitted that U.S. airstrikes caused “serious” damage to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
Following the June strikes, Hegseth publicly criticized the media during a press conference, accusing them of displaying a strong anti-military bias. However, he did not provide direct evidence supporting claims that Iran’s nuclear production capabilities had been fully destroyed.
Kruse’s removal comes amid other significant changes within the U.S. defense and intelligence community, including the early retirement of Air Force Gen. David Allvin and recent budget reductions affecting the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
{Matzav.com}
