Head of Defense Intelligence Agency Dismissed After Report on U.S. Strike Against Iran

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has dismissed the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, according to two sources familiar with the matter cited by The Washington Post. The exact reason for the departure of Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, who led the Pentagon’s main intelligence arm, remains unclear. The sources referred to an alleged loss of confidence, a term that the newspaper noted Hegseth has used to justify the dismissal of other military officers this year.

A DIA spokesperson confirmed that Kruse is no longer serving as director and announced that Christine Bordine will assume the role of acting chief. The decision to remove Kruse may be linked to a DIA report that appeared to undercut the White House’s narrative. In June, the agency released a preliminary assessment of U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities which concluded that the damage was not as significant as the Trump administration had claimed.

An administration official familiar with internal discussions about Kruse revealed that his future within the DIA had been uncertain for months and that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard initially sought to replace him. Kruse also faced criticism from the National Security Agency, which is generally viewed as closely aligned with the DIA.

Kruse took over as DIA director in December 2023. A former senior military intelligence official described him as a consummate professional and an example of success as an Air Force intelligence officer. Meanwhile, a military officer assigned to the DIA stated that Kruse had been very transparent and had managed the agency’s tensions and pressures during the Trump administration in an outstanding manner.