A three-star general was removed from his post on the Pentagon's Joint Staff after months of sustained tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to a new report.
Concretely, Lt. Gen. Joe McGee, director of Strategy Plans, and Policy on the Joint Chiefs, left his post earlier in October, CNN detailed.
The outlet cited people with knowledge of the matter who said McGee had frequently "pushed back" against Hegseth and Dan Caine, the Chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff on different issues including the Russia-Ukraine war and ongoing operations in the Caribbean.
McGee was nominated by former President Joe Biden for a promotion to serve as director of the Joint Staff but never renominated by the Trump administration. "He has had a target on his back for a while now," one of the sources told CNN.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell reacted to the report, rejecting McGee clashed with Hegseth and saying: "General McGee is retiring, and the war department is grateful for his service."
"Lt Gen. JP McGee will retire after nearly three years of outstanding leadership and service on the Joint Staff. We are grateful for his 35 years of honorable and dedicated service to the Nation," a Joint Staff spokesperson added.
It is the latest high-profile report in the Department of Defense under Hegseth's tenure. Earlier this month, Southern Command (Southcom) head Alvin Holsey stepped down from his post after reportedly raising concerns about the strikes in the Caribbean.
Citing anonymous sources, The New York Times detailed that Holsey had particularly showed concern about the strikes against alleged drug boats, which have now killed over 60 people.
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