Pentagon’s top lawyer firings risk US military’s moral authority

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s recent firing of the top lawyers for the Army, Navy, and Air Force signals a troubling shift in the Pentagon’s stance on the laws of war, argue Patrick Leahy and Lt. Gen. Robert G. Gard Jr. (Ret.) in Defense News.

During his confirmation hearing, Hegseth hesitated to affirm the Geneva Conventions, later removing senior military legal advisers without consulting them. The authors contend this move undermines the legal frameworks that ensure US military operations adhere to ethical and lawful standards. They warn that sidelining military lawyers who uphold these principles risks eroding the military’s discipline and global reputation.

Leahy and Gard argue that adherence to international law is not a constraint but a core strength of US forces. History has shown that war crimes and excessive force weaken military missions and embolden adversaries. By dismissing the lawyers responsible for guiding warfighters on legal and ethical engagement, Hegseth sends a dangerous message—that brutal tactics, rather than principled conduct, will define US warfare.