By Nathaniel "Beltway" Steele
The churn at the top of the U.S. military shows no sign of slowing. By CBS News's count, at least 20 generals, admirals and civilian defense leaders have been fired or have resigned since Pete Hegseth became defense secretary at the start of the second Trump administration — a pace and scale that has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers and former officials alike.
The latest addition to that list came this week when President Trump announced he would nominate Hung Cao as Navy Secretary. The New York Times noted the timing: the announcement landed amid what it called "a purge of leadership at the Pentagon" and a stalling war effort against Iran. Cao's confirmation would place a new civilian leader atop a Navy already contending with strain in the fleet — a strain visible this week as the USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in Thailand after what NBC News described as a record-setting deployment in the Middle East, with roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines pausing in Pattaya for rest before heading home. The New York Times reported separately that the Lincoln has been replaced in the Middle East amid what it called a "crew morale crisis," with the Pentagon reporter John Ismay noting that logistical strains on supply ships in the region are likely to persist regardless of which carrier is on station.
CBS News has not detailed the reasons behind each of the 20-plus departures individually, and this article does not attempt to characterize them collectively beyond what the network reported: a historically high number of exits in a short span. What the departures mean for military readiness, and whether Cao's nomination signals a change in approach, remains to be seen — and is worth watching as confirmation hearings proceed.
— Compiled from reporting by CBS News, The New York Times and NBC News.
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