US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to announce the firing of 20 percent of all admirals and generals across the US Armed Forces.
The announcement was released on Wednesday at the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Virginia. This move adds to an earlier round of personnel cuts that began in 2025. Currently, there are over 800 active-duty generals and admirals serving across the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force.
Hegseth has made his views on the current leadership clear in the past. During a previous gathering at Quantico in September 2025, he criticized the department as being too “woke” and slammed its leaders for being out of shape, stating that “fat generals and admirals” is “a bad look.”
These anticipated firings are part of a broader overhaul of the US military under his leadership. Hegseth is seeking to insert what he calls a “war fighter ethos” into the Department of Defense, which he has even proposed rebranding as the Department of War.
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According to CBS News, at least 20 generals, admirals, and civilian military leaders have already been terminated or have quit their jobs since Hegseth took office. This includes the firing of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and top uniformed officials in the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The move has drawn sharp criticism from political opponents and civil rights groups, who accuse the secretary of blocking the promotions of women and minority officers. Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, told reporters that Hegseth is “in the process of purging the upper echelon of the military from its best leaders.”
Kelly added, “We need strong leaders. These folks have decades of experience, some of the best leadership our military has ever had. He’s getting rid of them.”
While a recent congressional report noted that having too many senior leaders can slow down decision-making and increase costs, this latest shakeup comes at a critical time, as the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran stretches into its seventh month and depletes vital ammunition stockpiles.
Promise Idoko is Junior Reporter working with moderncrux He covers global politics and international affairs. Based in Nigeria,
