US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a 20% reduction in four-star officer positions across the military, marking a contentious overhaul of leadership structures at the Pentagon, according to Reuters.
The move, which also includes a minimum 20% cut to National Guard generals and an additional 10% reduction among other senior ranks, forms part of President Donald Trump’s drive to streamline defence operations and prioritise “strategic readiness” at the start of his second term.
Hegseth, a former Fox News host appointed for his alignment with Trump’s national security agenda, swiftly targeted high-ranking officers since taking office, dismissing the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Navy’s top admiral, and the director of the National Security Agency.
In a video statement on X, he defended the cuts, stating, “More generals and admirals does not lead to more success,” while insisting the reforms were aimed at efficiency.
This is not a slash and burn exercise meant to punish high ranking officers, nothing could be further from the truth.
The plan has drawn sharp criticism from Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, who accused Hegseth of pursuing “arbitrary percentages” over evidence-based decisions.
Eliminating the positions of many of our most skilled and experienced officers without sound justification would not create ‘efficiency’ in the military – it could cripple it.
The Pentagon is reviewing its global military footprint, with Hegseth reportedly considering mergers of major combatant commands to reduce four-star posts. Proposals include combining US African Command with European Command, and merging Southern Command (overseeing Central and South America) with Northern Command.
Other roles under scrutiny include leaders of US Army forces in the Pacific and US forces in Korea.
The reforms coincide with internal upheaval, including a leak investigation ordered by Hegseth’s chief of staff in March. Three senior aides—among them Dan Caldwell, a longtime Hegseth confidant—were recently dismissed over alleged leaks, though Caldwell denies involvement.
Hegseth pledged to implement the cuts “expeditiously” while avoiding disruption to military readiness.
