The chain of dismissals of top military officials driven by Pete Hegseth at the Department of War is generating an internal environment of growing mistrust. At the Pentagon, under Hegseth's leadership, the purge continues as another senior military officer has left the U.S. Department of War .

U.S. officials claim that chaos and a climate of distrust reign within the department as the Secretary continues to push for personnel changes .

Resignations in Chain

General Chris Donahue, who had requested retirement, will leave his post in the coming days. He was the last U.S. soldier to leave Afghanistan during the chaotic 2021 withdrawal. According to reports, Donahue was once considered a possible candidate to lead the entire Army but is now among the most prominent names on a growing list of officers pushed out under Hegseth.

The general had clashed with the secretary before deciding to retire, according to CBS News, which noted the Army confirmed July 2 as his final day, after just a year and a half leading U.S. forces in Europe and Africa. His departure extends the purge that has thinned the Pentagon's upper echelons since Trump returned to the White House in January 2025 . In the spring, Hegseth already pushed out the Army's most senior general, Randy George. Thus, with this latest resignation, the secretary has expelled or forced the retirement of 24 generals and senior commanders.

The roll call of dismissed veteran leaders includes Air Force General and former Joint Chiefs Chairman Charles Q. Brown, along with Admiral Lisa Franchetti, who was the first woman to run the Navy, as well as former National Security Agency chief General Timothy Haugh and former top NATO liaison Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield.

Climate of Chaos

In this context, media outlets report that an atmosphere of chaos and tension is beginning to set in at the Pentagon. Retired Major General Paul Eaton told The Guardian that the U.S. military's high command has suffered significant damage: "You develop a fracture in the cohesion of the people at that level. It's as if, even if you haven't been purged, you wonder if you're next if you say the wrong thing to the person on your left or right that may invoke the wrath of the secretary of defense or the president" . "It's a truly toxic environment when you're afraid to speak your mind, and not only to tell the truth to those above you but also to defend the Armed Forces against stupid decisions," he added.

A CNN source within the Department of War also states that Hegseth's management lacks clarity in internal procedures due to "mass paranoia." "Everything is decided case by case because there is no delegation or trust. And without delegation and trust, policy decisions cannot be made" .

Hegseth's Isolation

The nature of the firings and the climate at the Pentagon are also linked to the secretary's own isolation. Guardian sources describe Hegseth as "increasingly isolated within the Pentagon's vast bureaucracy and surrounded by a small circle of friends and close family" . According to the publication, Pentagon staff have been surprised to see him accompanied in official meetings by his wife, a former Fox News producer, who often sits in the back. His closest collaborators also include his brother Phil, appointed as senior advisor, lawyer Tim Parlatore, and Ricky Buria, a former Marine.

Hegseth himself, according to the British media, suffers from paranoia at the possibility that Trump might decide to fire him for considering his qualifications insufficient to lead the Department of War . "All of this is driven by the insecurity and paranoia that Pete has developed since 'Signalgate.' Unfortunately, this is fueled by some of his closest advisors, who should be trying to calm the situation," a Pentagon source told the New York Post, referring to the March 2025 group chat where Hegseth mistakenly included a journalist.

The secretary fears being replaced by Dan Driscoll, Secretary of the U.S. Army and a close ally of Vice President J.D. Vance. "[Hegseth] has a big conflict with Driscoll. And the White House has told him he can't fire him, at least for now," said a source close to the Trump Administration.