The firing of the US Army chief of staff and two other generals is just the latest personnel shakeup under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. But why do this during wartime? We examine whether disagreements between Hegseth and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll are behind the move, and how Hegseth’s ongoing fixation on so-called “culture wars” and loyalty could impact service members. 

For more: Trump and Hegseth on Iran war: ‘God is good’ 

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Guest: Haley Britzky, CNN National Security Reporter 

Host: David Rind 

Producer: Paola Ortiz 

Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin

Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
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Inside Trump’s Fight for Your Voter Data

Starting August 2, 2026 all new episodes can be found over in the ⁠CNN 5 Things feed.⁠  Search "CNN 5 Things" wherever you get your podcasts.



You’ve been overwhelmed with headlines all week – what's worth a closer look? One Thing takes you beyond the headlines and helps make sense of what everyone is talking about. Host David Rind talks to experts, reporters on the front lines and the real people impacted by the news about what they've learned – and why it matters.