WASHINGTON: US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to announce plans to cut by 20% the number of positions allocated to generals and admirals across the US military, doubling the minimum reduction he outlined last year, according to US officials cited by Reuters.
Hegseth is expected to announce the plan during a speech to hundreds of junior officers and enlisted personnel at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia on Wednesday.
The planned reduction will apply to billets – positions designated for one – to four-star generals and admirals – rather than representing an immediate dismissal of 20% of officers currently serving in those ranks, according to officials.
Some positions are expected to be downgraded in rank and filled by lower-ranking officers, while others will be eliminated, according to Reuters, citing a US official.
BIG: Pete Hegseth plans to cut the number of general and admiral positions in the U.S. military by 20% as part of a Pentagon shakeup.
The reductions apply to senior leadership positions, with some roles downgraded rather than eliminated.
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The plan marks a significant expansion of Hegseth’s efforts to reduce the number of senior military leadership positions and streamline the Pentagon’s command structure.
In May 2025, Hegseth ordered a minimum 20% reduction in four-star positions across the active component, a minimum 20% reduction in National Guard general officers and an additional minimum 10% reduction in general and flag officers through changes to the US military’s Unified Command Plan.
The latest plan would therefore more than double the previously announced minimum 10% reduction covering the broader pool of general and flag officer positions.
The Pentagon has argued that reducing senior leadership positions would remove what it considers unnecessary layers of bureaucracy and redirect resources and authority towards operational forces. Hegseth has repeatedly called for a leaner senior command structure.
The planned cuts come amid a broader reshaping of the Pentagon’s senior leadership under Hegseth, who has removed or forced out several senior commanders since taking office.
Among those affected were Army Chief of Staff General Randy George, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Charles Brown Jr and Navy Admiral Lisa Franchetti.
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The latest restructuring also comes as the United States remains engaged in its war with Iran, raising questions about how reductions in senior command positions could affect military operations.
The Pentagon has faced additional scrutiny over damage to US military bases and weapons losses during the conflict. Hegseth’s planned announcement comes almost exactly a year after his previous address at Quantico, where he criticised what he described as an overly bureaucratic military leadership structure and defended his decision to remove senior officers.
At that gathering, Hegseth told military leaders that those who disagreed with his approach should consider resigning. The Pentagon has not immediately provided detailed information on how the latest reductions will be distributed among the military services or how many serving officers could ultimately be affected.
The exact implementation of the cuts, including which positions will be downgraded or eliminated, is expected to become clearer following Hegseth’s address.
Reuters reported that the changes are focused on positions rather than an across-the-board dismissal of serving generals and admirals.
