Hegseth ordered a 20% cut in senior generals in Pentagon

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced a 20% reduction in the number of four-star generals and appreciation in all military branches. This step, which is applied to all military branches, comes amidst extensive efforts to reduce the size of the federal government and restructure its leadership with ideological lines.
A memorandum signed by Hegseth also describes the instructions for a 20% reduction in the National Guard and a total reduction of general and flag officers in the army. The deduction follows a wave of firing in recent months, with the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, General CQ Brown Junior, and only two women serving as four-star officers. Hegseth needed firing necessary to align military leadership with the administration’s national security agenda.
The Pentagon has about 900 general and flag officers, with only 44 four-star rank. The Congress was not given the advance notification of the cut, which increased further anxiety. Representative Seth Moulton, the House Armed Services Committee and a former Marine, a Democrat, accused the administration of deliberately trying to politicize the army, warning that it could destroy faith in the command series.
Hegseth has been vocal in his despise, which he calls the “social justice agenda” of the army, including efforts for diversity and inclusion, transgender service policies and climate programs. In recent podcasts, he accused senior catering officials for ideological trends in Washington and vowed to finish what he sees as “fruitless bureaucrats”.
The deduction comes with a broad overhaul of the defense establishment. Last week, Hegseth ordered the army to eliminate old equipment, closure headquarters, and re -hand over thousands of Pentagon employees to frontline units. A military parade is also being planned to mark Trump’s birthday and the 250th anniversary of the army, allegedly at important expense.
Meanwhile, intelligence agencies are facing similar deficiency. About 1,200 CIA posts are being cut, through large -scale early retirement. The office of Director of National Intelligence, led by Tulsi Gabbard, has already reduced employees by 25%.