The Army has its fewest four-star generals in decades, and more than half of the officers whose promotions Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has blocked or reversed are Black or female, according to reporting this week.
The Numbers
Four-star general positions across the Army have dropped from 10 in January 2025 to just 5 today, part of a broader push by Hegseth to cut flag officer ranks by roughly 20% in the National Guard and 10% on active duty. Overall, more than 80 generals and admirals have been fired or blocked from promotion, about 10% of the military’s top-ranking officers.
Who’s Been Affected
In one recent round, Hegseth removed 7 Army officers from a two-star promotion list; 2 were Black and 2 were female. This year marks the lowest percentage of women nominated to general or admiral rank in at least 25 years, and no women are likely to be nominated to admiral rank at all, the first time that has happened in more than a decade. For the first time in nearly two decades, there are no active-duty women serving as four-star generals or admirals in the US military.
The Army Secretary Who Quit Over It
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned this week after meeting with President Trump, reportedly expressing concern that Hegseth had fired combat-tested leaders, damaged morale, and compromised the integrity of the military’s merit-based promotion system.
The Pentagon’s Defense
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell defended the moves, saying, “The idea that these lists cannot be altered is ridiculous; every single secretary has exercised this exact prerogative.”
How This Differs From the Past
Military officials have noted that these removals depart from historical precedent: previous defense secretaries typically removed officers over ethical breaches or misconduct, not because of who else was on a promotion list. The officers removed in Hegseth’s recent rounds were reportedly in compliance with Pentagon policy.
