Lawmakers from both sides questioned Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and the Army\u2019s acting chief of staff, Gen. Christopher LaNeve, over the removal of the Army\u2019s well-respected chief of staff, Gen. Randy George.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lawmakers from both sides grilled Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and the Army\u2019s acting chief of staff, Gen. Christopher LaNeve, over the recent firing of the Army\u2019s well-respected chief of staff, Gen. Randy George, during the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While lawmakers asked about the U.S. war against Iran, the state of munition stockpiles and various Army programs, President Trump\u2019s $1.5 trillion defense budget request, lawmakers in both parties questioned Driscoll and LaNeve about the early April ouster of George.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI just want the record to reflect how much we regret \u2014 I personally regret, at least \u2014 he\u2019s no longer in active service. He\u2019s a real loss to us, in my opinion,\u201d Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), the chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) said he had very high confidence in George\u2019s leadership, a senior military official who spent more than four decades in the Army and was ousted at the direction of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen you collectively \u2014 the president, the secretary and yourself \u2014 decide to summarily fire the chief of staff of the Army \u2014 publicly, overtly, I would even say humiliatingly and cruelly \u2014 without any offer, apparently, of a graceful exit, you at least owe Congress, the public, and, I think most importantly, the soldiers some explanation, which you did not do,\u201d Case told Driscoll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When asked about George\u2019s removal, which was reported on April, Driscoll, lauded the ex-Army chief of staff, but added that civilian officials \u201cget to pick the leaders that they want.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was in North Carolina when Gen. George was asked to put in his resignation paperwork, with my family for my kids\u2019 spring break. When we drove back from North Carolina, I drove straight to Gen. George\u2019s house, we walked right in, and we all gave him a hug,\u201d Driscoll said during the hearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere is no person that has more respect for Gen. George \u2026 he was an amazing, transformational leader,\u201d Driscoll said. \u201cThat being said, the civilian leadership, the design of our system, is that they get to pick the leaders that they want, and we execute on those orders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Apart from George\u2019s removal, Driscoll and LaNeve were asked about the Army\u2019s aviation programs, the state of the defense industrial base and the service\u2019s push to bolster U.S. military drone capability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n