Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, the United States’ top military representative to NATO’s Military Committee in Brussels, has been relieved of her duties, according to multiple American media outlets on Tuesday.
The decision marks another high-profile removal in what critics are calling a sweeping purge of senior defense officials under former President Donald Trump’s renewed influence over national security matters.
The Pentagon has not officially confirmed the reasons for Chatfield’s dismissal. However, The Washington Post hinted at political motivations, running the headline: “The Latest Eviction in Trump’s Military Purge.”
The newspaper’s report connected Chatfield’s removal to broader efforts by Trump allies to reshape the U.S. military leadership landscape, ahead of a potential Trump re-election bid in November.
Vice Admiral Chatfield, who assumed her post at NATO in 2023, had been under fire from conservative circles in Washington for her vocal support of diversity and inclusion in the armed forces.
Several right-wing lobbyists and think tanks reportedly lobbied for her removal, claiming her statements undermined “military readiness” — a refrain that has grown louder among critics of what they label “woke ideology” in the armed forces.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News personality and close Trump ally appointed earlier this year, is also reported to have expressed dissatisfaction with Chatfield’s leadership and public messaging.
Though Hegseth has not directly commented on the firing, he previously vowed to restore “traditional values” within the military and eliminate what he described as “political correctness in uniform.”
NATO has not issued a formal statement regarding Chatfield’s departure. However, internal sources at NATO headquarters in Brussels expressed concern about the implications of her dismissal for alliance cohesion.
“This is a sensitive moment for NATO,” said one official, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Removing a high-ranking representative abruptly can create uncertainty among allies, especially at a time of heightened tensions in Eastern Europe and ongoing war in Ukraine.”
The NATO Military Committee, where Chatfield served, is the highest military authority in the alliance. It advises the North Atlantic Council and the Nuclear Planning Group, and oversees the alliance’s two strategic commands.
The position of the US military representative is seen as a linchpin between American defense policy and collective NATO strategy.
Chatfield’s removal is the latest in a string of dramatic leadership changes. In February, six senior officials at the U.S. Department of Defense were dismissed, including Admiral Lisa Franchetti, who had made history as the first woman to lead the U.S. Navy.
Most recently, on Friday, General Timothy Haugh, the director of the National Security Agency (NSA), was fired without public explanation.
Analysts warn that such rapid and politically charged dismissals risk damaging morale and operational consistency within the armed forces.
“This is not just a political reshuffling,” said Dr. Meredith Kane, a military affairs expert at Georgetown University. “These moves send a message to commanders worldwide — loyalty to Trump may matter more than professional competence.”
Vice Admiral Chatfield has not commented publicly on her dismissal. Her future role within the Navy remains uncertain.
