In a sweeping reshuffle of the Pentagon’s leadership, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has dismissed Jon Harrison, the Navy chief of staff and one of his closest aides. Harrison’s departure marks another significant move in Hegseth’s ongoing effort to reorganize the Department of War, formerly known as the Department of Defense, in what insiders describe as an unprecedented overhaul of military bureaucracy.
Jon Harrison had served roughly nine months as the pivotal behind-the-scenes figure working under Navy Secretary John Phelan, a Trump mega-donor appointed despite having no prior military experience. Together, Harrison and Phelan orchestrated a consolidation of the Navy’s policy and budgeting offices and moved to curtail the influence of the Navy Undersecretary. This position is now set to be filled by Hung Cao, a seasoned Navy officer and recent Senate-confirmed appointee with prior political experience running for Senate in Virginia.
Harrison’s firing came as part of a broader purge led by Hegseth affecting senior Navy leadership, including the removals of Admiral Lisa Franchetti, Chief of Naval Operations; Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore, Chief of the Navy Reserve; and Rear Admiral Milton Sands, Commander of Naval Special Warfare Command. The shakeup also extended to other branches, featuring the high-profile dismissal of General Charles Q. Brown Jr., the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Despite the Pentagon’s official statement expressing gratitude for Harrison’s service, the exact reasons behind his sudden ousting remain unclear. What is evident is Hegseth’s relentless approach to restructuring, which has left few senior officials untouched. Earlier this year, he dismissed judge advocates general (JAGs)—military lawyers traditionally charged with advising commanders—citing their lack of suitability for providing legal recommendations. In a controversial pivot, he has begun reassigning hundreds of JAGs to serve as temporary immigration judges to help address the immigration court backlog amid mass deportation initiatives.
Hegseth’s vision extends beyond personnel changes; he has signaled a sharp cultural shift within the military, seeking to eliminate what he considers distractions such as diversity offices, identity-specific observances, and climate change initiatives. In a recent address at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Hegseth openly criticized military leadership for what he described as declining physical fitness standards, condemning the presence of “fat troops” and warning that lax standards are “a bad look” for commanders at all levels.
This hardline stance reflects Hegseth’s broader campaign to restore a perceived sense of discipline and traditional values within the armed forces, as he publicly dismissed political correctness, wokeness, and other social initiatives he views as undermining military readiness and cohesion.
Jon Harrison’s exit stands as a symbol of the sweeping changes underway at the Pentagon under Hegseth’s direction, signaling a renewed focus on efficiency, loyalty, and a reinvigorated military ethos. As the Defense Secretary continues to consolidate authority and reshape the Pentagon’s leadership, more high-profile dismissals and reforms are expected to follow, underscoring a tumultuous period of transformation within the U.S. military establishment.
