ALBAWABA - U.S. Defense secretary Pete Hegseth is set to announce a 20 percent cut to admiral and general slots at the Pentagon, two officials confirmed to The Hill on Tuesday.
Hegseth is planning to make the reductions affecting senior leadership positions across the Army, Navy and the Air Force public on Wednesday during his State of the Force address.
This new push by Hegseth follows an earlier one in May 2025 where he looked to cut the number of active-duty four-star generals and admirals in the U.S. military by at least 10 percent.
Hegseth also directed the Pentagon to cut general officers in the National Guard by at least 20 percent and slash the total number of one-star officers by 10 percent; saying he wanted “Less Generals, more GIs” to “shift resources from bloated headquarters elements to our warfighters.”
EXCLUSIVE: War Secretary Pete Hegseth will announce a new 20% reduction in military positions designated for generals and admirals during Wednesday's State of the Force address, according to memos obtained by @FoxNews.The move doubles last year's overall reduction target for… pic.twitter.com/umEl0ZaNZh
He added that the removals were necessary to remove “redundant force structure” and “to optimize and streamline leadership by reducing excess general and flag officer positions.”
According to Fox News Digital, service branches are requested to implement the cuts by Jan 1 with some positions downgraded instead of slashed.
Hegseth has cut more than two dozen military leaders across the military branches since taking the leading role at the Pentagon, unnerving congressional lawmakers in both parties.
Alongside the cuts, Hegseth also blocked officers slated for promotion to one- and two-star generals, saying that military leaders serve at the pleasure of the president.
Pshemaf Choiaqo is a digital marketer with a passion for media, style, and presentation.
He enjoys researching unorthodox and nonconventional subjects almost as much as he enjoys writing about them.
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