With the war on Iran in its seventh month and no end in sight, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is demanding another purge of high-ranking officers at the Pentagon, according to reports.
Hegseth will announce plans to cut by 20 percent the number of positions reserved for generals and admirals during a speech to service members Wednesday, according to Pentagon officials, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The cuts will "double the 10 percent reduction to top positions" the Pentagon chief ordered last year, with the armed services directed to complete the reductions by Jan. 1, 2027. Fox News had earlier reported the plans.
Hegseth is expected to lay out his priorities for the Pentagon's coming year during an address at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.
According to the report, "He directed the original cuts to top brass in May 2025, instructing Pentagon leadership to cut the total number of four-star active-duty generals and admirals by at least 20 percent, in addition to reducing the overall number of admirals and generals with a one-star rank or above by 10 percent."
Hegseth has long argued the military's senior ranks are "bloated," framing the cuts as overdue streamlining aimed at "removing redundant force structure," as he previously put it.
"This is not a slash-and-burn exercise meant to punish high-ranking officers," he said in a video posted on X. "More generals and admirals does not equal more success."
According to the Journal, as of Sept. 30, 2023, there were 809 active-duty generals and admirals, 48 fewer than the maximum of 857, according to the Congressional Research Service.
Hegseth's address, which officials are calling his "State of the Force" speech, comes a year after he summoned the nation's top military officers to Quantico on short notice, where he said he wanted to see "no more beardos" or "fat generals."
This time, the audience will include lower-ranking officers and enlisted service members handpicked by their commanders, with the Pentagon asking units to nominate troops who meet strict waist-to-height standards and "impeccable" grooming, the Journal reported. Chosen attendees will get a Pentagon tour and the chance to work out with the defense secretary.
