Trump is preparing extensive "purges" within the Pentagon.

The team of newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing a list of Pentagon officials who will be removed from their positions. This was reported by Reuters citing its own sources.

It is noted that members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff may potentially be included in the blacklist. This could lead to an "unprecedented upheaval" in the Pentagon. However, the planning for purges within the Pentagon is still in its early stages.

One source informed the agency that the new administration is likely to focus on dismissing American officers believed to be linked to the former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – Mark Milley. At the same time, Trump's allies have targeted Milley for alleged disloyalty to the former president: "Every person who promoted and appointed Milley will be gone. There is a very detailed list of everyone who was connected to Milley. And they will all leave."

However, some current and former U.S. officials downplay the likelihood of significant personnel changes. They believe it would be an unnecessary and destructive move during global upheavals when wars continue in Ukraine and the Middle East.

One source stated that from a bureaucratic standpoint, it would be challenging to dismiss and replace a substantial portion of the U.S. military leadership. This suggests that such plans could be "bravado and posturing from Trump's allies."

But another source from the agency suggested that within Trump's camp, there is a belief that the Joint Chiefs of Staff should be downsized due to "bureaucratic redundancy." And such reductions could be sustained in an organization as large as the U.S. armed forces.

It was previously reported that Trump will appoint veteran and Fox News personality Pete Hegseth as the head of the Pentagon.