Overview

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth removed Kruse on Aug. 23 as head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, offering no detailed rationale beyond a stated loss of trust.
• The move follows a June DIA analysis that said U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites only delayed enrichment by months, contradicting President Trump’s assertion that the program was annihilated.
• Hegseth has criticized what he called poor‑quality intelligence and confirmed that the FBI is investigating how the DIA assessment reached the press.
• Two other senior military officers were also relieved of their posts, according to reports.
• The action echoes other personnel removals in national security and intelligence agencies since President Trump returned to office.