Military leadership changes under Hegseth
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired or blocked promotions of over 80 generals and admirals. The purge is dividing the Pentagon and prompting resignations like Army Secretary Dan Driscoll's.
Background
Since becoming defense secretary, Pete Hegseth has aggressively reshaped military leadership, removing senior officers and civilians he perceives as 'woke' or politically correct. He has ordered cuts of at least 20% in four-star positions and personally intervened in promotion lists. This has led to a leadership void and concerns about politicization of the military.
How it unfolded
- Feb 2025Hegseth fired the judge advocates general of the Army and Air Force, and removed Air Force Vice Chief Gen. James Slife, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti.
- Apr 2025Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George was fired; Gen. David Hodne and Maj. Gen. William Green were also removed. Navy Secretary John Phelan resigned.
- Aug 2025Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin announced retirement halfway through his term.
- Jul 2026Gen. Christopher Donahue announced his exit as commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa.
- Sep 1, 2026Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned after complaining to President Trump that Hegseth fired combat-tested leaders. Hegseth targeted seven more Army officers selected for two-star rank.
- Sep 5, 2026White House reviewed candidates to replace Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, signaling more leadership changes.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Hegseth frames the cuts as overdue streamlining, saying the military has one general per 1,400 troops versus one per 6,000 in WWII, and denies it's a 'slash-and-burn' exercise.
- Critics
- Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall says Hegseth has created a 'climate of fear' at the Pentagon, and senior officials privately voice concerns about political pressure.
- Congress
- The firings and lack of explanation are alienating many in Congress, with Army Secretary Driscoll complaining that Hegseth imperils modernization by firing combat-tested leaders.
Still unverified
Some ousters were given no official reason, and reports of Hegseth's motivations are based on anonymous officials. The exact number of affected officers varies by source (at least 20 departed vs. over 80 careers altered).