Hegseth to announce a 20% cut to generals and admirals

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth plans to reduce the number of generals and admirals in the U.S. military by 20% during a special address on Wednesday at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, according to a Pentagon official. This follows his recent move to cut at least 10% of all flag and general officers in May 2025, as well as 20% of general officers in the National Guard.

Hegseth argues that these reductions are necessary to foster innovation and operational excellence, eliminating unnecessary bureaucratic layers and optimizing leadership. As of July, there were 851 active-duty generals and admirals across all branches of the military, with the number remaining constant since the previous year. The Defense Department cap allows for a maximum of 857 such officers.

Hegseth's decision comes a year after he addressed the same issue at Quantico, criticizing the military's "woke" standards and "toxic leaders" while advocating for stricter criteria. Since Hegseth's tenure as Secretary of Defense began, at least 20 generals, admirals, and civilian military leaders have been removed, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and top uniformed officials from the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

This follows his previous criticism of senior military leaders, who he viewed as insufficiently supportive of frontline troops and overly preoccupied with diversity initiatives. The debate over the necessity of having too many generals and admirals has been ongoing, with some arguing that it can hinder decision-making and create bureaucratic inefficiencies, while others contend that senior leaders are essential for managing international coalitions, technological advancements, and the complex Defense Department.