US Defence Secretary Hegseth to dismiss 20% of senior military officers

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to announce the dismissal of around one‑fifth of the armed forces’ senior officers, roughly 20 percent of the 800 active‑duty generals and admirals.

The announcement is slated for Wednesday at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia and follows an earlier round of personnel cuts announced in 2025. Hegseth has previously criticised the department as being “too ‘woke’” and warned of “fat generals and admirals” at a Quantico gathering in September 2025.

Scope of the shake‑up

The planned firings would affect senior leaders across the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force, and would add to at least 20 senior officers and civilian officials who have already left their posts since Hegseth took office, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Federal law limits the number of general‑ and flag‑officers, but there is no requirement to refill vacated posts. Critics, including the NAACP and the National Women’s Law Center, accuse Hegseth of obstructing promotions for black service members and women, a claim the Pentagon denies, insisting that meritocracy governs promotions.

Senator Mark Kelly (D‑AZ) described the move as a “purge of the best leaders” and warned that the loss of experienced officers could weaken the military’s command structure as the US‑Israel conflict with Iran enters its seventh month.

Source: BBC News. Photo: Nicolas Postiglioni / Pexels.