Another high-profile head has rolled at the Pentagon, signaling that War Secretary Pete Hegseth isn’t playing games when it comes to reshaping the military’s top brass.
The New York Post reported that Navy Chief of Staff Jon Harrison was shown the door on Friday as part of Hegseth’s ongoing mission to overhaul the War Department’s culture and leadership, a campaign that’s already claimed several big names.
Harrison, a political appointee of President Trump, didn’t just quietly pack his bags; his exit follows a contentious reorganization of the Navy’s policy and budgeting offices.
Reports from Politico suggest Harrison was instrumental in implementing sweeping changes to limit the influence of incoming Navy Undersecretary Hung Cao, a former Republican Virginia Senate candidate whose confirmation came this week.
Alongside Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, Harrison reassigned several aides meant to support Cao and even planned to screen the undersecretary’s future military staff to keep decision-making tightly controlled from the secretary’s office.
Harrison’s departure isn’t a standalone event; it’s the latest in a series of dismissals under Hegseth’s watch, including heavy hitters like former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff C.Q. Brown and former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti.
Earlier this year, Hegseth also sent three key War Department aides packing—senior adviser Dan Caldwell, former deputy chief of staff Darin Selnick, and former chief of staff to the deputy secretary Colin Carroll—amid what The Post described as a bureaucratic clash of egos.
If that’s not housecleaning, what is? Hegseth seems determined to sweep out any trace of entrenched thinking, even if it means ruffling a few well-decorated feathers.
Speaking of determination, Hegseth himself has been candid about his approach, stating, “As you have seen and the media has obsessed over, I have fired several senior officers since taking over.”
He doubled down with, “The rationale for me has been straightforward: It’s nearly impossible to change a culture with the same people who helped create or even benefited from that culture.”
There’s a certain logic there—why keep the architects of a system you’re trying to rebuild? But one wonders if this relentless turnover risks losing valuable experience in the process.
Under Hegseth’s leadership, the War Department has faced multiple staff shakeups, each one sending a clear message: adapt to the new vision or step aside.
Amid this internal storm, Hegseth will join President Trump on Sunday for the Navy’s 250th anniversary celebration in Norfolk, Virginia, dubbed “a Salute to the Fleet.”
With First Lady Melania Trump and Secretary Phelan also in attendance, the event promises to honor “250 years of MARITIME DOMINANCE” while thousands of active-duty servicemembers and military families look on.
It’s a moment of pride for the Navy, even as its leadership grapples with uncertainty, proving that honoring tradition doesn’t mean clinging to outdated structures.