U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a sweeping reduction in top military leadership Monday, ordering a 20% cut in four-star generals and admirals. The directive, issued in a Pentagon memo, also calls for a 10% reduction in general and flag officers overall and a 20% cut in the National Guard’s top ranks.
The cuts target what Hegseth described as “redundant force structure,” aiming to “optimize and streamline leadership.” The Pentagon currently has 38 four-star officers and a total of 817 generals and admirals in active service as of March 2025.
This move marks a major shift in defense policy under President Donald Trump’s second term, which has already seen the removal of several senior officers. Since January, Trump has dismissed top military leaders, including General Charles “CQ” Brown, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and commanders from the Navy, Coast Guard, and NSA.
In a video posted on X, Hegseth framed the cuts as part of a broader effort to boost frontline readiness, saying, “less generals, more GIs.” He pointed out that during World War II—when the military was much larger—the U.S. operated with fewer high-ranking officers.
“This is not a slash and burn exercise meant to punish high ranking officers,” Hegseth said. “This has been a deliberative process by working with the Joint Chiefs of Staff with one goal, maximizing strategic readiness and operational effectiveness.”
Hegseth announced the changes would occur in two phases, starting with four-star and National Guard officers, followed by broader cuts to the rest of the general and flag officer corps.
During his confirmation hearing in January, Hegseth emphasized the need to cut “fat” from the Pentagon’s leadership. “It’s going to be my job…to identify those places where fat can be cut, so it can go toward lethality,” he told lawmakers.
The Defense Department also plans to reduce its civilian workforce by at least 5%, aligning with President Trump’s initiative to downsize the federal government for fiscal efficiency.
While Democrat lawmakers have expressed concern over what they see as the politicization of the military, Hegseth maintains the reforms are about effectiveness and readiness, not retribution. “This has been a deliberative process,” he reiterated, emphasizing readiness over bureaucracy.
