Defense Secretary Hegseth Fires DIA Director Kruse Over Iran Strike Assessment Leak

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), following a leaked preliminary intelligence assessment that found U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites only set back Iran's nuclear program by a few months. This assessment contradicted President Donald Trump's and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claims that the strikes caused far more extensive damage. The leak of the DIA's findings angered the Trump administration, leading to Kruse's dismissal amid broader shakeups in military and intelligence leadership. The firing highlights ongoing tensions between intelligence evaluations and political narratives regarding Iran's nuclear capabilities. The DIA, as the Pentagon's primary intelligence agency, plays a crucial role in military-related intelligence, making this leadership change significant within the national security apparatus. This development follows a series of recent high-profile departures and restructuring within the U.S. intelligence community under Hegseth's tenure.