US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wants to cut a fifth of all positions among generals and admirals - he announced this in a speech at the Quantico military base southwest of Washington.
Hegseth said he had ordered the armed forces to double the reduction he ordered last spring from 10 percent to 20 percent. This dismantling should be completed by January 1, 2027 - around three months.
Most recently 850 generals
Hegseth, who calls himself "Minister of War", confirmed previously known media reports. According to them, a disproportionate number of those released so far are women or people of color.
According to Pentagon information from the end of July, there were currently around 850 generals and admirals. According to the Washington Post, they command more than 1.3 million soldiers. There are also almost 800,000 more in the National Guard and Reserves.
Former Pentagon boss speaks of recklessness
Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta criticized the cuts and the fight against diversity in the armed forces. The army is so strong because it reflects all facets of American society - women, men and people of all skin colors.
The former minister also criticized the timing of the cuts in the middle of the war with Iran on CNN. This means the military is losing the experience of commanders who have been deployed. He thought that was reckless, said Panetta, who served under Democratic President Barack Obama.
Many officers have been fired since taking office
Since taking office in January 2025, Hegseth has replaced numerous senior military officials on behalf of President Donald Trump. Just days before the start of the Iran War in late February, he fired Chief of Staff Charles Q. Brown Jr. and Marine Commander Lisa Franchetti without giving reasons.
Other senior military officials retired or tendered their resignations, including Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who resigned in early September after repeated disputes with Hegseth.
Hegseth takes the downsizing of the army literally, as he demonstrated in his speech last year. The former Fox News television host insulted many soldiers and commanders at the time as being too "fat" and prescribed a fitness program - or otherwise threatened to be expelled.
Musk should research the future of warfare
The tech billionaire Elon Musk is set to play an important role in a new project in the future. According to Hegseth, the aim is to explore the future of warfare. Musk is said to be one of several prominent people who will lead the initiative.
The purpose of "Project Meridian" is to "look to the future with a creative eye and identify areas we need to conquer and the capabilities we need to master," said the Defense Minister.
Hegseth also addressed the topic of autonomous warfare, i.e. the use of weapon systems and artificial intelligence that can be active and carry out attacks without direct human intervention. “We must act proactively to ensure technological and military superiority on the battlefield for decades to come,” he continued. The Pentagon chief expects results from the project within 120 days.
Hegseth's choice of words
The minister's choice of words in his speech was once again extremely culturally combative. Soldiers must once again be “warriors with a deadly effect,” said Hegseth. Previous programs for diversity, equal opportunities and inclusion no longer have any place in his army.
Hegseth is also considered controversial by many Republicans in Congress. The accusation is that he is not interested in a more efficient military leadership, but above all in a military leadership that is politically loyal to President Donald Trump.
With information from Giselle Ucar, ARD Studio New York
