Sec. of Defense Pete Hegseth Orders Pentagon Purge — Demands 20% Cut in Woke Four-Star Generals and Admirals Across U.S. Military
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has ordered a sweeping purge of senior Pentagon leadership, demanding a 20% reduction in four-star generals and admirals across all branches, according to a memo obtained by CNN.
Hegseth’s memo frames the cuts as “critical” for “removing redundant force structure to optimize and streamline leadership.”
As of February 2025, the U.S. military has 38 active-duty four-star officers across its branches: 11 in the Army, 3 in the Marine Corps, 8 in the Navy, 12 in the Air Force, 3 in the Space Force, and 1 in the Coast Guard.
Signed on Monday, the directive also mandates a 20% cut in National Guard general officers and a 10% reduction in all general and flag officers—approximately 900 one-star and above positions military-wide.
This dramatic shift comes amid what Hegseth and President Trump are calling a “recruiting renaissance,” reversing the historically low enlistment numbers under Joe Biden. In his first month as Defense Secretary, all service branches exceeded their recruitment goals, with the Army surpassing its target by 15%.
“Since your election and the inauguration, what we’ve seen is nothing short of a miracle,” Hegseth told Trump during a recent cabinet meeting. “Men and women across the nation are proud again to serve under a Commander-in-Chief who honors strength, not weakness.”
Indeed, recruitment has surged so rapidly that Defense Department analysts are calling it the strongest interest in military service in over a decade—long before the divisive DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) agenda hollowed out morale and operational standards under the Biden administration.
full story at https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/05/sec-defense-pete-hegseth-orders-pentagon-purge-demands/