US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is to cut the number of positions reserved for generals and admirals by 20%, in a move expected to affect senior leadership across the Army, Navy and Air Force.
A Pentagon official said Mr Hegseth would announce the plan on Wednesday during a “State of the Force” address at the Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. The speech is due to be delivered before junior officers and enlisted personnel.
The reduction is expected to apply to roughly 800 flag and general officer positions, with the military services instructed to double a 10% cut ordered last year. The changes are to be completed by 1 January 2027.
US media reports said the reductions could include any one-star general or above, or an officer of equivalent rank in the Navy.
The move follows the dismissal or retirement of more than two dozen military leaders since Donald Trump took office in January 2025. Those affected have included General Randy George, the Army’s top uniformed officer, who was removed in April.
The administration has also dismissed the only two women serving as four-star officers, along with several other senior female officers. Other senior officials have left through retirement or resignation, including Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who stepped down this month after repeated clashes with Mr Hegseth.
Mr Hegseth previously said the effort was intended to remove “redundant force structure to optimise and streamline leadership”. In a memorandum issued in May 2025, he said he wanted to free the military from “unnecessary bureaucratic layers”.
Concerns over senior leadership cuts
Senator Jack Reed, the Rhode Island Democrat and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the latest reductions should be carried out in consultation with Congress.
“Congress has been clear with the Secretary that he must consult this body and explain his reasoning for senior officer removals and promotion holds. To date, we have not received satisfactory answers,” Mr Reed said.
“Our military is conducting major operations around the world, and the force is already under strain,” he added.
The number of general officer positions is set by law, although posts can remain vacant if the administration does not submit nominees to Congress.
