3-Star General on Pentagon’s Joint Staff Retires After Reported Clashes With Hegseth

A three-star general serving on the Pentagon’s Joint Staff has retired from his position after sustained tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Air Force Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine, whom President Donald Trump picked earlier this year to be the chairman of his Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Lt. Gen. Joseph McGee, the director for Strategy, Plans, and Policy on the Pentagon’s Joint Staff, left his position earlier this month, the Department of Defense confirmed to multiple outlets Thursday.

McGee, who was nominated by former President Joe Biden in 2024 to serve as director of the Joint Staff, had repeatedly “pushed back” against Hegseth and Caine on issues ranging from Russia and Ukraine to military operations in the Caribbean, anonymous sources told CNN.

Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed the retirement in a statement to NOTUS but denied that McGee had any disagreements with Hegseth.

“Gen. McGee is retiring, and the War Department is grateful for his service,” Parnell said. “CNN’s claims regarding his retirement are 100% fake news.”

McGee was responsible for advising Pentagon leadership on long-term military strategy, including weighing the risks of potential actions and planning for crisis contingencies.

More than a dozen senior military officials have been fired or retired since Trump took office, including Coast Guard commandant Adm. Linda Fagan, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, vice chief of staff of the Air Force Gen. James Slife and most recently commander of the U.S. Southern Command Adm. Alvin Holsey.

Most of the military officials who have parted ways with the Pentagon this year were reported to have been at odds with Hegseth’s leadership.

The purge of senior military officials comes as the Defense Department engages in active air strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats from Latin America. In the last two months, the White House has reported 15 strikes resulting in more than 60 deaths.

The Bulwark reported that Rear Adm. Kurt Rothenhaus was removed from his position as chief of naval research at the Office of Naval Research and is set to be replaced with Department of Government Efficiency staffer Rachel Riley.

It is unclear when Rothenhaus stepped down, as his official biography still lists his current role as chief of naval research.