Retired U.S. Army Major General Randy Manner has delivered a blunt warning about the condition of America’s military, arguing that the United States is “much weaker than we were even before 9/11” and suggesting that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth should leave office. Manner’s warning comes at an awkward moment for Washington, where the military is fighting a prolonged war with Iran while senior Pentagon leadership continues to experience major upheaval. Manner, a former deputy commanding general of the U.S. Third Army, has also recently criticized the Pentagon’s use of extremely expensive weapons against much cheaper Iranian drones.
When the Pentagon Starts Losing Its Generals
The timing of Manner’s warning has added another layer of drama to an already turbulent Pentagon. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has resigned after months of reported friction with Hegseth, following the earlier removal of Army Chief of Staff General Randy George and the departure of other senior officers. The White House praised Driscoll’s service, but the continuing turnover has raised questions about military stability while American forces remain engaged in the Iran conflict.
For a military establishment expected to project strength around the world, repeatedly changing the people at the top during a war is beginning to look like an unusually complicated version of musical chairs. The Army has already seen its top uniformed leadership reshuffled, while Driscoll’s resignation means another important civilian position is changing hands. Even supporters of the administration have acknowledged that the timing is uncomfortable, because projecting military power becomes considerably harder when Washington is simultaneously projecting uncertainty.
The Price of ‘Strength’ Comes Under Fire
Manner has also questioned the Pentagon’s military strategy, particularly its management of weapons and ammunition. In a recent CNN interview, he expressed serious concern about dwindling U.S. stockpiles and criticized the use of weapons costing millions of dollars to destroy drones that can be obtained at a fraction of the price. His argument is simple enough for even Washington’s accountants to understand: spending millions to destroy something worth far less may eventually produce a very expensive definition of victory.
The retired general’s broader concern is that military strength is not measured simply by the number of weapons displayed on television or the size of a defense budget. It also depends on strategy, leadership, readiness, sustainable supplies and the ability to fight without burning through critical resources faster than they can be replaced. With the Iran war continuing and senior commanders departing, Manner’s warning has therefore landed at a particularly sensitive moment for President Donald Trump’s administration.
The developing story leaves Washington with an uncomfortable question: if America is as strong as its leaders insist, why does a retired general sound so worried about the condition of the force during an active war? For now, President Trump remains in charge as the military leadership undergoes another transition, while Manner’s criticism adds pressure to an already controversial Pentagon shake-up. OGM News will continue watching the situation, because the next resignation, appointment or battlefield development could provide another chapter in this increasingly dramatic story.
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