After three years leading U.S. forces in the Middle East, General Michael “Erik” Kurilla has officially ended his military career.
The outgoing chief of U.S. Central Command, nicknamed “The Gorilla,” leaves behind a four-decade career that culminated in directing President Donald Trump’s unprecedented strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June, The Daily Mail reported.
He passes command to U.S. Navy Admiral Charles Bradford Cooper Jr., appointed earlier this month to take over CENTCOM operations in the Middle East.
It is unclear why Kurilla is leaving now, despite having the trust of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
At the height of summer tensions between Iran and Israel, Hegseth had placed sweeping operational authority in Kurilla’s hands and often deferred to him.
Kurilla’s exit comes during turmoil at the Pentagon.
Hegseth recently fired Defense Intelligence Agency chief Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse after the agency questioned whether Trump’s June strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program.
In the same week, the Pentagon also removed Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore and Rear Adm. Milton Sands without explanation.
In June, Trump announced that the U.S. bombed three Iranian nuclear sites during Israel’s clashes with Tehran.
The strikes used 12 “bunker buster” bombs and 30 Tomahawk missiles against Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.
CNN later reported the DIA’s initial assessment was that the sites’ core components were not destroyed and Iran’s program was only set back by weeks.
Trump expressed public anger that the assessment leaked, blasting “dumb” journalists and saying the reports insulted B-2 bomber pilots.
Kurilla’s departure does not appear connected to the firings.
Sources described him as deeply wary of Iran’s ambitions and said he pushed for a U.S. buildup in the region.
His recommendations to dispatch carriers and add combat aircraft were approved quickly, reflecting confidence in his judgment.
“I know that under the leadership of Admiral Brad Cooper, with the support of the Defense Department and Joint Staff, the counsel and contributions of our allies and partners, and support of our headquarters and component teams, the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coastguardsmen, and Guardians of Central Command who serve this nation on the front lines of freedom will always succeed,” Kurilla said.
He added, “It has been the honor of my life to have been their commander.”
CENTCOM confirmed Cooper will oversee U.S. military missions across 21 nations spanning the Middle East and Central Asia.
Iran is expected to remain a central focus as experts debate how much damage the June strikes inflicted on Tehran’s nuclear program.
Kurilla, a West Point graduate, commanded CENTCOM since 2022 and directed at least 15 major joint combat missions.
His final months included Operation Rough Rider against Houthi forces in Yemen and Operation Midnight Hammer targeting Iran.
Hegseth praised him in June as “a bold, dynamic, and inspiring leader who strikes fear into the hearts of America’s enemies.”
Kurilla served extensively in Afghanistan and Iraq between 2004 and 2014, earning two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star.
The director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was dismissed Friday, weeks after the agency prepared a preliminary bomb-damage assessment — later leaked to the media — that indicated U.S. strikes on Iran had delayed the country’s nuclear program by only a few months.
Air Force Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, who had led the DIA since February 2024, “will no longer serve as DIA director,” a senior defense official told The Post.
Deputy Director Christine Bordine is now listed as acting director on the agency’s official website.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly fired Kruse over a “a loss of confidence” in the lieutenant general, two congressional officials told the New York Times.
The DIA’s classified, “low confidence” assessment of the June 21 airstrikes on Iran’s Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz nuclear sites was leaked to CNN three days after U.S. B-2 stealth bombers and cruise missiles targeted the facilities.