US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed a significant 20% reduction in the number of four-star generals and admirals, marking a bold move to streamline senior military leadership.
The decision, part of a broader Pentagon overhaul under President Trump‘s second term, signals a shift toward leaner command structures and intensified scrutiny of top-level defense roles.
In a memo, the contents of which were first reported by Reuters, Hegseth said there will also be a minimum 20 percent reduction in the number of general officers in the National Guard and an additional 10% reduction among general and flag officers across the military.
Trump Defends Hegseth Amid Yemen Strike Chat Controversy
“The Department of Defense is committed to ensuring the lethality of U.S. Military Forces to deter threats and, when necessary, achieve decisive victory,” Hegseth wrote.
“A critical step in this process is removing redundant force structure to optimize and streamline leadership by reducing excess general and flag officer positions,” he added.
Hegseth has long been vocal about how the senior-most ranks of the military are too big.
At his confirmation hearing, he stated there was “an inverse relationship between the size of staffs and victory on the battlefield.”
US-Iran Nuclear Talks Postponed, Oman Confirms
He has also removed the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Navy’s top admiral and other senior flag officers from their positions.
