Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signs a flag officer memorandum at the Pentagon on May 5, 2025. (Madelyn Keech, U.S. Air Force/Defense Department)
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday announced he has directed the Defense Department to cut at least 20% of its four-star generals and admirals, along with other reductions across the military.
“We’re back with more [Defense Department] reforms, this one is general and flag officer reductions. That’s the official title,” Hegseth said in a video posted on X. “My title is less generals, more GIs.”
Hegseth, in a memorandum signed Monday, also called for cuts of at least 20% of general officers in the National Guard and at least 10% of its general and flag officers across the military, which could include one-stars or above. In Hegseth’s video message, he said the cuts would occur in two phases, the first being among the four-stars and the National Guard.
The memo does not address when these cuts will take place. A defense official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not have more information on a timeline and referred to the memo.
The Pentagon is under pressure to slash spending and personnel as part of the broader federal government cuts pushed by President Donald Trump’s administration and the Elon Musk-run Department of Government Efficiency.
The directive also comes after Hegseth last week ordered the Army to cut 1,000 jobs from its main headquarters, shrink attack helicopter formations and shed weapons and units that have long been part of its identity.
Hegseth on Monday cited the U.S. had 17 four- and five-star generals and admirals during World War II. Today, there are 44 four-stars.
When Hegseth began his first week as secretary at the end of January, there were 42 four-star generals and admirals across the military.
Trump’s administration has already taken steps to purge the military of some top leaders, firing Air Force Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the former chief of naval operations, Air Force Gen. James Slife, the service’s vice chief of staff, and Air Force Gen. Timothy Haugh, who led the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command.
“More generals and admirals does not equal success,” Hegseth said.
As of September 2023, there are also about 800 general and flag officers across the military.
Sweeping changes at the Pentagon have not happened since the passage of the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986. The act increased the power of the Joint Chiefs chairman and streamlined the military chain of command.
“This could be the most comprehensive review since the Goldwater-Nichols Act,” Hegseth said. “It’s going to be done carefully, but it’s going to be done expeditiously. We have to be lean and mean. And in this case, it means general officer reductions.”
He has argued before, including during his confirmation hearing, that there are too many senior generals in the military.
Hegseth, a 44-year-old Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News host, told radio host Hugh Hewitt in the summer that he believes roughly one-third of the military’s most senior officers are “actively complicit” in the politicization of the armed forces. Speaking about his new book, Hegseth railed against what he described as “woke, [critical race theory], [diversity, equity, and inclusion] things, gender stuff” that has “seeped into” the military.
