Hegseth blocks Army promotions
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blocked promotions of four Army officers tied to ousted generals.
This widens a purge that has removed 45 officers, raising readiness and fairness concerns.
Background
Hegseth has been removing and blocking promotions of military officers since taking office, with at least 45 officers removed from promotion lists this year. The latest block targets officers with ties to generals he fired, including former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George and Gen. Chris Donahue. The moves have created a leadership vacuum in the Army and raised concerns about politicizing a merit-based system.
How it unfolded
- Apr 2026Hegseth removed Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George without explanation.
- Jun 2026Gen. Chris Donahue, commander of US Army forces in Europe, was removed from his post.
- Aug 28, 2026Hegseth blocked promotions of four Army officers selected for one-star rank, some with ties to George and Donahue.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said promotions go to those who have earned them and this approach will not change.
- Critics
- Current and former defense officials say the blocks appear to target officers who worked for generals Hegseth dislikes, violating apolitical merit-based rules.
- Caution
- Gen. Christopher LaNeve, performing Army chief duties, expressed concern that blocking qualified officers will dilute the pool of experienced leaders.
Still unverified
Some officers' ties to removed generals are based on anonymous defense officials; the exact number of officers removed this year (45) is reported but not officially confirmed.