Pete Hegseth Orders 20% Cut to General and Admiral Positions

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will announce a 20% reduction in positions reserved for generals and admirals during his State of the Force address on Wednesday at a U.S. Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Virginia. The cuts apply to the Army, Navy, Air Force, and the military's joint pool, with a deadline for implementation by January 1, 2027.

This directive doubles a 10% reduction ordered in May 2025 as part of a "less generals, more GIs" effort to remove redundant force structure and reduce bureaucracy. Some positions will be downgraded to O-6 requirements, allowing colonels and Navy captains to fill the roles rather than eliminating them entirely. Hegseth will deliver the speech to a handpicked group of lower-ranking officers and enlisted troops selected based on leadership, professional character, and strict adherence to grooming and waist-to-height standards.

The announcement follows a period of significant leadership turnover, during which Hegseth fired or pushed out over two dozen military leaders. These actions, along with the blocking of certain promotions, have drawn criticism from lawmakers. Senator Susan Collins expressed that she finds the situation deeply troubling, while other critics argue the focus on personnel standards comes at the expense of military modernization and risks using personnel for political purposes.