Senior Army leadership was caught off guard by Thursday’s abrupt announcement, a US official told CNN — learning of George’s forced departure along with the rest of the Defense Department, when it was announced publicly.

George found out in a phone call from Hegseth on Thursday while he was in a meeting, a second US official said. He later spoke to his staff in-person about the announcement and his staff was “very stoic” when receiving the news, the official said.

Hegseth’s move comes a day after Donald Trump’s address to the nation on the Iran war. In the speech, Trump signaled the US will intensify strikes on Iran, after earlier suggesting the US could be done with the war within two to three weeks.