In September 2026, with U.S. forces at war with Iran, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved plans to cut 20 percent of the positions reserved for generals and admirals across the Army, Navy and Air Force by January 1, 2027, doubling the 10 percent reduction he ordered in May 2025 (see Hegseth Ordered Cuts to the Military's Generals and Admirals in May 2025, Amid a Wave of Firings of Senior Officers). Fox News Digital first reported the plan from memos it reviewed, and two Pentagon officials confirmed it to The Hill. The cut applies to billets, the positions themselves, rather than to 20 percent of the officers now serving, and a September 16 memo lets some be downgraded so colonels and Navy captains can fill them. The AP reports the order covers roughly 800 general and flag officer positions.
Hegseth announced it in his State of the Force address at Quantico on September 30 (see Hegseth Tells 600 Troops That Some War Reporting Is 'Treason, Actually' and Repeats His 'No Fatties, No Trannies' Line). “The number crunchers say we fired 10% of the generals and admirals across the force, and that number sounds about right,” he said. “And I know because I directed it that we've also reduced the overall number of general officer slots by an additional 10%. So yes, 20% reduction across the board. Now the media calls that a purge. I call it accountability, and long overdue.” His “fired 10%” figure is his own: CBS counts at least 20 generals, admirals and civilian military leaders fired or resigned since he took office, and the AP more than two dozen. The positions had not yet fallen: there were 851 active-duty generals and admirals in July, against 848 a year earlier, according to a Defense Department tally cited by CBS.
Senators of both parties said they had not been shown a plan, The Hill reported. Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.): “No, I certainly want to see his rationale in detail, and I don't have that yet.” Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who said he learned of the cuts from the news: “I don't know what his plan is.” Earlier he had said, “If it's simply a matter of eliminating a very heavy top, there may be some validity to it, but I want to see it first.” Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the top Democrat on Armed Services, said the cuts will “add further disruption and confusion to the military forces, and he offered no framework for his decision.” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.): “he is putting political loyalty above merit in reducing the number of officers.” Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.): “He's purging a generation of great leaders of the military, and it's going to take a generation to recover from it.” Sen. Susan Collins had said at a July hearing, “I find this deeply troubling,” adding, “These are men and women who volunteered to serve our country and swore an oath to support and defend our Constitution.” Asked for comment, Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) sang lines from Tennyson's “Ulysses.”
Update (October 5, 2026): Republican senators went on the record about being left out, The Hill reported. Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.): “I wouldn't have made that a priority if I had been asked,” and “I didn't get a long lead.” Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who chairs Appropriations: “There may be a need to reduce the overall number of flag officers at the Pentagon, but this approach seems to be targeted on ideology,” adding, “It also disturbs me that there's a disproportionate number of Blacks and females who are not being promoted.” Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa): “What I want to see is a plan. I'm not going to say a 20 percent reduction is not warranted. The problem is that the secretary did not come and explain this to us before acting on it.” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.): “Too much time has passed, and he's failed to respect Congress.” A Pentagon official said, “It is untrue that Secretary Hegseth is basing promotion decisions on race and sex, and we have said so repeatedly.” The cut is to positions, due by January 1, 2027.