Washington: In a dramatic shake-up of the U.S. intelligence community, President Donald Trump has dismissed Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) chief Lieutenant General Jeffrey Cruus, along with two other top officials. The removals come in the wake of conflicting reports over the U.S. military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
According to an official speaking on condition of anonymity, Trump also removed Vice Admiral Nancy Lacor, head of the U.S. Navy Reserve, and Rear Admiral Milton Sands, commander of the Navy Special Warfare Command. The sudden dismissals have fueled debate in Washington about the administration’s handling of intelligence and national security.
Conflicting Reports Over Iran Strike
The dismissals followed a major dispute between the White House and the DIA regarding the scale of damage inflicted on Iran during recent U.S. airstrikes.
Amid heightened tensions between Israel and Iran, the U.S. deployed B-2 bombers to target three nuclear facilities in Iran. Following the strikes, Trump publicly claimed that America had “completely destroyed” Iran’s nuclear bases.
However, the DIA’s initial assessment contradicted the president’s statement, concluding that the strikes caused only limited damage to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. This divergence is widely seen as the trigger for Trump’s decision to remove the senior intelligence officials.
Political Backlash
The firings drew sharp criticism from lawmakers. Senator Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said: “The dismissal of another senior national security officer highlights the dangerous habit of the Trump administration — treating intelligence as a test of loyalty rather than a matter of national security.”
Observers argue that such actions could undermine the credibility of U.S. intelligence agencies at a critical time of heightened global tensions.
Transition in Leadership
Following Cruus’s removal, DIA Deputy Director Christine Boardine has been appointed as the agency’s acting director. A DIA spokesperson confirmed the leadership transition, but did not provide further details on the reasons behind the dismissals.
The shake-up comes as the U.S. faces mounting challenges in the Middle East and growing criticism at home over how intelligence is being used — or sidelined — in critical foreign policy decisions.