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| -Land of the Free |
| Chief of US Central Command - the 'Gorilla' - QUITS the Pentagon in shocking departure |
| 2025-08-26 |
| [Daily Mail, where America gets its news] After three years at the helm of U.S. forces in the Middle East — including directing Donald Trump's Iran strikes — General Michael 'Erik' Kurilla has officially ended his military career. The Chief of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Kurilla - nicknamed 'The Gorilla' - is leaving behind a four–decade career that culminated in Trump's unprecedented strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in June. He is passing the torch to U.S. Navy Admiral Charles Bradford Cooper Junior, who was appointed as commander of CENTCOM earlier this month to lead military operations in the Middle East. It's unclear why 'The Gorilla' is choosing to leave now, after earning the trust of Pentagon Chief and ex-Fox News host Pete Hegseth. At the height of tensions between Iran and Israel earlier this summer, Hegseth had placed sweeping operational authority squarely in the hands of Kurilla. He often deferred decisions and comments to him. It also comes at a time of turmoil at the Defense Department. Hegseth recently fired the general whose agency angered Trump over its assessment that his Iran strikes may not have 'obliterated' the country's nuclear program. He axed Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, who led the Defense Intelligence Agency, as part of a spree of Friday firings that sent an unmistakable message through the Pentagon's ranks. In June, Trump made the surprising announcement that he went ahead and bombed three Iranian nuclear sites amid Israel's fighting with Tehran. The U.S. military used 12 massive 30,000-pound 'bunker buster' bombs and 30 Tomahawk missiles to attack Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan. But days later CNN reported that the Defense Intelligence Agency's initial assessment was that the strikes did not destroy core components of the sites and may have only set Iran's nuclear program back a number of weeks. The president expressed anger publicly that the DIA's assessment leaked, attacking 'dumb' journalists and arguing that the news reports were offensive to the B-2 bomber pilots who flew the mission. The Washington Post additionally also reported last week that Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore, the chief of the Navy Reserve, was removed as of Friday, as was Rear Adm. Milton Sands, a Navy SEAL officer who oversees Naval Special Warfare Command. Hegseth and Trump have been aggressive in dismissing top military officials, often without formal explanation. But Kurilla's departure does not appear to be intertwined. Described by sources as deeply wary of Iran's intentions, Kurilla successfully pushed for a significant U.S. buildup in the Middle East. His recommendations – from dispatching aircraft carriers to increasing the number of combat aircraft – were swiftly approved, reflecting both the urgency of the situation and the Pentagon's confidence in his leadership. 'I know that under the leadership of Admiral Brad Cooper, with the support of the Defense Department and Joint Staff, the counsel and contributions of our allies and partners, and support of our headquarters and component teams, the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coastguardsmen, and Guardians of Central Command who serve this nation on the front lines of freedom will always succeed,' said Gen. Kurilla. He added, 'It has been the honor of my life to have been their commander.' CENTCOM says Cooper will have oversight of all U.S. military missions inside the 21–country area, which includes the Middle East and Central Asia. Iran will likely become a big focus for Cooper, as experts predict the war between Israel and Iran is far from over, and debate on how much damage Iran really sustained from the attack on their nuclear sites, continues. As the commander of U.S. Central Command, Kurilla emerged as a key architect of the American military posture in the region. According to CENTOM, Kurilla is a West Point graduate and took command of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in 2022. During his tenure, he reportedly directed the planning and execution of at least 15 major joint combat missions. His final months in the role saw two high–profile operations: Operation Rough Rider, which targeted Houthi forces in Yemen in March and April, and Operation Midnight Hammer, a June strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told Fox News Digital back in June: 'General Kurilla is a bold, dynamic, and inspiring leader who strikes fear into the hearts of America's enemies.' Adding, 'He's a warrior through and through who always puts his country, mission, and troops first. It has been an honor to serve alongside him in defense of our great nation.' Kurilla spent the majority of his career focusing on the Middle East, from 2004 to 2014, spending time in both Afghanistan and Iraq before winning two Purple Heart Awards and a Bronze Star. Daily Mail reached out to both the Pentagon and White House for further comment on this story. Related: Kurilla 07/27/2025 US army kills senior ISIS leader in Syria Kurilla 06/23/2025 Iranian - Israeli War News roundup for June 22nd, 2025: 50 IDF jets in 2 sorties bombed hundreds more missile and drone targets incl launchers, factories, storage depots as far away as Yazd, ‘at least 9’ IRGC toes up Kurilla 06/12/2025 Top US commander reports 'sticking points' in SDF's integration into Damascus forces |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #3 Wait! Is Kurilla leaving after three years at the helm of U.S. forces in the Middle East including working for OrangeManBad, or is he leaving after a respectable four–decade career in the military? Because one is sinister and suspicious, and the other is not surprising. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2025-08-26 17:28 |
| #2 RLTW. Put him in charge of the Special Activities Center at Langley |
| Posted by: Gloluns Turkeyneck4904 2025-08-26 16:58 |
| #1 After three years Nothing strange about that. It appears they didn't have a billet for another senior officer of that rank open. Maybe they're earnest in reducing the overload of generals. Thank you and here's your participation medal. [BTW. pull his security clearance on the way out] |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2025-08-26 12:31 |