US Defense Secretary Hegseth orders 20% cut in ranks of top officers | Military News
Pentagon chief says cuts will maximise ‘strategic’ and ‘operational readiness’.
United States Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth has introduced steep cuts within the variety of top-ranked officers in his newest transfer to streamline the world’s strongest navy.
In a memo on Monday, Hegseth ordered a 20 % discount within the variety of four-star generals and admirals – presently the highest-ranked personnel within the US navy – in addition to a ten % discount within the variety of basic and flag officers.
Hegseth’s memo additionally ordered a 20 % lower within the variety of basic officers within the Nationwide Guard.
The US navy had 38 four-star generals or admirals as of March 31, 2025, in response to US Division of Protection knowledge.
In a video explaining the “Much less Generals Extra GIs Coverage”, Hegseth mentioned the US navy presently has one basic for each 1,400 troops, in contrast with one for each 6,000 throughout World Struggle II.
“Extra generals and admirals doesn’t equal extra success,” Hegseth mentioned within the video posted on X.
“Now this isn’t a slash-and-burn train meant to punish high-ranking officers. Nothing could possibly be farther from the reality. This has been a deliberated course of, working with the Joint Chiefs of Workers, with one purpose: maximising strategic readiness and operational readiness by making prudent reductions within the basic and flag officer ranks.”
Hegseth didn’t specify which positions could be lower.
The almost 40 energetic four-star generals within the US navy embrace the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Workers, the chief of workers of the military, the chief of naval operations, and the chief of workers of the Air Pressure, in addition to the heads of US Africa Command, US European Command and US Forces Korea.
The cuts come as a part of a broader drive by President Donald Trump’s administration to scale back the dimensions of the federal authorities and purge perceived political enemies.
Since returning to the White Home in January, Trump or his underlings have fired a number of prime navy leaders, together with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Workers Charles Q Brown and Navy chief Admiral Lisa Franchetti.
