U.S. admiral at NATO fired in expanding national security purge

WASHINGTON >> U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, who holds a senior position in NATO, has been fired as part of what appears to be an expanding national security purge of top officials by the Trump administration, three sources told Reuters today.

The information was not immediately confirmed by the Pentagon. However, the sources told Reuters that allies had been notified that Chatfield had been removed from her job.

Chatfield, the U.S. military representative to the NATO Military Committee, is one of only a handful of female Navy three-star officers and was the first woman to lead the Naval War College, a job she held until 2023.

The firing is the latest to rock the Pentagon after Thursday’s removal of General Timothy Haugh, the head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command. For the Navy, it follows the firing of its top officer, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to become Chief of Naval Operations.

It was unclear if any official reason was given for Chatfield’s dismissal, or if it was related to any U.S. policy direction on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

One source said the motive may have been related to the Pentagon’s crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.