Pentagon Cuts Top Military Ranks by Twenty Percent
The sweeping restructuring aims to streamline Pentagon leadership and redirect resources toward emerging technologies and unmanned combat systems.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a 20% cut to the military's generals and admirals on Wednesday during an address at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. Hegseth said the reductions will eliminate roughly one in five senior officer positions across the armed services.
The order doubles a 10% reduction Hegseth directed last year across roughly 800 general and flag officer billets. The defense chief said the services have already fired 10% of top officers and cut slots by another 10%. Some positions will be downgraded so colonels and Navy captains can fill them.
Hegseth also unveiled the Autonomous Warfare Command, a new four-star combatant command. The command will manage the rollout of robotic and autonomous systems across the services. Hegseth described the effort as an accelerated shift to modernize military capabilities.
To shape future strategy, the Pentagon established a 120-day advisory panel known as Project Meridian. SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Anduril Industries founder Palmer Luckey will lead the initiative. The panel will evaluate emerging technologies and assess future battlefield requirements.
The restructuring includes several administrative and infrastructure changes. Hegseth announced an Office of Religious Affairs and opened a competition for states to host a new military base, the first built in 40 years. The Pentagon also formed partnerships with five higher education institutions, including Liberty University and Tuskegee University, to build new cadet corps.
The speech marks Hegseth's second annual State of the Force address to junior officers and enlisted personnel. Since taking office, Hegseth has removed several four-star leaders, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the heads of the Army, Navy and Air Force. Hegseth said the personnel changes were long overdue and aimed at eliminating bureaucracy.
The military branches must implement the approved officer reduction plans before the Jan. 1, 2027, deadline set by the Pentagon.
