War Secretary Pete Hegseth purge at the Pentagon continues as part of his sweeping leadership overhaul that has reshaped the upper ranks of the U.S. military.The latest departure is Army Col. Dave Butler, who served as Chief of Army Public Affairs and senior advisor to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. According to defense reports,
Pete Hegseth directed Driscoll to remove Butler from his Pentagon post, a move that sources say had been under consideration for months, according to a Daily Mail report. Driscoll did not provide a detailed explanation for Butler’s exit but confirmed that the longtime officer is retiring from the Army. “We greatly appreciate Col. Dave Butler’s lifetime of service in America’s Army and to our nation,” Driscoll said in a statement. “Dave has been an integral part of the Army’s transformation efforts. He will be missed and I sincerely wish him tremendous success in his upcoming retirement after 28 years of service.” Butler declined to comment on his departure.
The War Department is moving at full speed to BUILD THE ARSENAL OF FREEDOM.
Our warfighters must—and will—have the absolute best. pic.twitter.com/pQSNpRPLeB
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) February 9, 2026
While no official cause was outlined by War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Butler’s previous high-profile assignment as senior spokesman for retired Gen. Mark Milley may have placed him in a politically sensitive position. Milley, who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff until his retirement in 2023, has been a frequent target of criticism from President Donald Trump and Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The friction traces back to a series of well-documented disagreements between Milley and Trump during the president’s first term. Those clashes reportedly centered on domestic unrest, military posture, and broader national security policy decisions. Milley later continued serving under President Joe Biden, further intensifying scrutiny from some Trump allies.
Milley has also been the subject of threats from the Iranian government following the 2020 U.S. strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, making him one of the most high-profile military leaders in recent history. His tenure — and the political controversies surrounding it — have remained a flashpoint in defense circles.
Dave Butler’s exit comes amid broader leadership turnover across the Pentagon. In August, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, was removed by authority of Pete Hegseth after an intelligence assessment reportedly contradicted public statements from the White House. That move was widely seen as part of the administration’s effort to tighten alignment within the defense establishment.
Other senior officers who have departed include Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore, chief of the Navy Reserve, and Rear Adm. Milton Sands, who led Naval Special Warfare Command. Earlier this year, Gen. CQ Brown Jr., who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the Chief of Naval Operations, also exited their roles.
🚨BREAKING: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is moving to demote retired Navy Captain and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly’s retirement rank and cut his retirement pay over Kelly’s “illegal orders” remarks — Washington just escalated this fight.
Do you firmly support Pete Hegseth on… pic.twitter.com/MelE5vSqRP
— Right Scope 🇺🇸 (@RightScopee) February 9, 2026
The scope and speed of the personnel changes under the power of Pete Hegseth have prompted debate in Washington. Critics argue that removing experienced officers without extensive public explanations risks undermining morale and continuity during a period of global instability. Supporters contend that Pete Hegseth was brought in to reform what they describe as an entrenched and politically misaligned defense bureaucracy, and that leadership changes are necessary to refocus on combat readiness.
Defense insiders have privately described an atmosphere of uncertainty among senior leaders under Pete Hegseth as the shake-up continues. For now, Army officials maintain that Butler’s departure marks the conclusion of a 28-year career of service, even as his retirement unfolds against the backdrop of one of the most aggressive Pentagon leadership restructurings in recent history.
Supporters of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth argue that the leadership changes reflect exactly what President Donald Trump intended when he selected him to lead the Pentagon. Hegseth has openly declared that the era of what critics describe as a big swamp Pentagon — dominated by long-seated brass and entrenched bureaucracy — is over.
Instead, Hegseth has emphasized that he most highly values the insight of “war fighters” in guiding how the American warrior prepares to protect and defend the nation. To his allies, the ongoing shake-up is not chaos but a deliberate reset designed to refocus the Department of Defense on combat readiness, accountability, and mission-first leadership. Hegseth seems to most highly values the insight of “war fighters” in guiding how the American warrior prepares to protect and defend the nation.
