Hegseth Orders 20% Cut of Top Pentagon Generals
Hegseth Orders 20% Cut of Top Pentagon Generals
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered a 20% reduction of four-star officers — the military's top rank — as part of his deep cuts at the Pentagon.
Hegseth said the move will promote efficiency but critics worry it could create a politicised army.
As well as slashing one in five top positions, the US defence secretary has ordered the number of generals across the military to be reduced by 10%.
There are currently more than 800 general-level officers in the US, 44 of whom hold four-star positions.
In a memo announcing the cuts on Monday, Hegseth said his aim was to free the military from “unnecessary bureaucratic layers".
However, Democratic congressman Seth Moulton, who served as a marine in Iraq and is now on the House Armed Services Committee, claimed Hegseth's actions were an attempt to politicise the military.
“He’s creating a formal framework to fire all the generals who disagree with him — and the president,” Moulton said.
Trump or Hegseth have already fired some of the country's top generals since January, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. CQ Brown Jr.
They also have fired the only two women serving as four-star officers, as well as a disproportionate number of other senior female officers.
In the earlier rounds of firing, Hegseth said the eliminations were “a reflection of the president wanting the right people around him to execute the national security approach we want to take".
Trump: Houthis ‘Don’t Want to Fight Anymore,’ US Will Stop Bombings
May 6, 2025
3 min
Trump Ordered To Admit Thousands Of Refugees
May 6, 2025
3 min
Israeli Military Fully Disables Yemen’s Main Airport with Strikes
May 6, 2025
2 min
Paul Tudor Jones: Stock Market Will Hit New Lows Even If Tariffs Cut
May 6, 2025
1 min
IDENTIFIED: Lady Gaga Bomb Suspect Was Deported From US Last Month
May 6, 2025
2 min
‘Landmark Study’ Led by UNLV Shows New Path to Treat, Prevent Autism
May 6, 2025
3 min
Army Suspends Blackhawk Flights to Pentagon After New Scare
May 6, 2025
2 min
Newark Airport Lost Radar and Radio Communication with Pilots for 90 Seconds
May 6, 2025
3 min
Brian Kemp Won’t Run for US Senate in 2026
May 6, 2025
2 min
Trump to Super-Charge Deportations Using Local Cops
May 6, 2025
2 min
Mike Myers, Michael B. Jordan First Celebs Named in Diddy Trial
May 6, 2025
3 min
Trump Bans Federal Funding for Gain-of-Function Research
May 6, 2025
1 min
Signal Clone Used by Govt Officials Hacked
May 6, 2025
4 min
Trump Offers Illegal Aliens $1,000 to Self Deport
May 5, 2025
1 min
Israel to Capture All of Gaza, Officials Say
May 5, 2025
1 min
Trump Announces 2027 NFL Draft Will Be in Washington
May 5, 2025
1 min
Mike Pence Receives JFK Courage Award for Jan 6
May 5, 2025
3 min
DOGE, Treasury Discover $334M in Improper Payment
May 5, 2025
2 min
Trump Orders 100% Tariff on Foreign-Made Movies
May 5, 2025
2 min
Antarctica Gains Ice for First Time in Decades: Study
May 5, 2025
1 min