Secretary Hegseth confirms US military will cut 20% of its generals and admirals

Hegseth says US cut number of generals, admirals by 20 percent Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that the US has slashed the number of generals and admirals in the military by 20 percent in a move he said is aimed at "accountability." "The number-crunchers say we fired 10 percent of the generals and admirals across the force," Hegseth told troops at the Quantico military base, adding, "we've also reduced the overall number of general officer slots by an additional 10 percent. So yes, 20 percent reduction across the board." Reporting by AFP Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the U.S.

military will cut 20% of its generals and admirals, calling it “accountability and long overdue.” (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed Wednesday that the U.S. military will cut 20% of its generals and admirals as he delivered what he is calling his “State of the Force” address.

Hegseth was speaking to junior officers and enlisted leaders at the Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, the second year in a row that he has given such an address. military is seven months into a war with Iran with no clear end in sight, has captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and killed more than 200 people in strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats in Latin America, among other actions worldwide. The speech is not a usual fixture among Pentagon leaders.

While Hegseth’s predecessors have regularly addressed troops and top officers, they have traditionally done so in small or private settings. The Pentagon chief, however, again focused on how he has drastically retooled the U.S. military by targeting what he calls “woke” culture — through a rollback of diversity programs, a review of ground combat units with female troops and a new screening program for “testosterone deficiency” among male personnel.

Pentagon officials had previewed that Hegseth would announce more cuts to the number of generals and admirals. He directed all military services to double the 10% reduction he ordered last spring for roughly 800 flag and general officer positions, making it a total 20% decrease to be completed by Jan. “I call it accountability and long overdue,” he said.

Several senators viewed Hegseth’s move as nothing short of a “purge” of the military’s top ranks that will take years to rebuild. “He’s got some kind of like deep-seated grievance about leadership in the military,” said Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., the former Navy combat pilot and NASA astronaut, who has been critical of Hegseth.