Hegseth says US has reduced senior military posts by 20%

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the number of generals and admirals in the US military has been reduced by 20 per cent, describing the cuts as an accountability measure. Speaking to troops at Quantico on Wednesday, Hegseth said 10 per cent of generals and admirals had been dismissed and that the overall number of general-officer positions had been reduced by a further 10 per cent. “So yes, 20 per cent reduction across the board,” he said.

Hegseth rejected descriptions of the changes as a purge. He said officers who supported his effort to focus the military on war-fighting were now leading “newly focused” formations, while those who did not respond positively no longer worked for the department. The defence secretary has previously criticised what he called “woke” policies and argued that the Pentagon was too bureaucratic and top-heavy.

He said the cuts would help direct resources towards military lethality. The supplied report raises questions about whether the stated reduction has been completed. Hegseth ordered cuts in 2025, including a 10 per cent reduction in generals and admirals and a 20 per cent decrease in the highest four-star ranks.

Pentagon figures showed 831 active-duty generals and admirals at the end of May 2025, but 851 at the end of July 2026. The Pentagon declined to provide clarification beyond Hegseth’s comments when asked whether the cuts were complete or ongoing. Since President Donald Trump returned to office, several senior officers have left their posts, including Joint Chiefs chairman Charles “CQ” Brown, whom Trump dismissed without explanation.

Other departures involved the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, National Security Agency, Air Force, Nato and military legal leadership. Hegseth has said the president is choosing the leaders he wants. Democratic lawmakers have expressed concern that the changes could politicise a traditionally neutral military.