Hegseth to Slash Senior Military Posts by 20 Percent, Raising Fears of Political Purge

United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is preparing to reduce the number of positions reserved for generals and admirals across the armed forces by 20 percent, a move that analysts warn could reshape the military's leadership and discourage dissent within its upper ranks, according to Al Jazeera.

The announcement is expected on Wednesday, when Hegseth delivers a "State of the Force" address to junior officers and enlisted personnel at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. The timing and venue of the speech have drawn attention because the plan primarily affects the most senior officers rather than the junior personnel Hegseth will be addressing.

Citing Pentagon officials, The Associated Press reported that Hegseth intends to double the 10 percent reduction in top-ranking personnel that was ordered last year, bringing the total decrease to 20 percent by January 1, 2027. The plan would affect roughly 800 general and admiral positions spanning the one-star to four-star ranks, a sweeping overhaul of the military's command structure.

Congress sets statutory limits on the number of generals and admirals. A Congressional Research Service report recorded 848 active-duty generals and admirals in September 2025, below the authorised maximum of 857. That figure underscores how the proposed cut would go well beyond trimming a handful of surplus posts.

Importantly, cutting positions does not necessarily mean immediately dismissing everyone who currently occupies them, according to an official who spoke to Reuters. Some roles would be eliminated outright, while others would be reassigned to lower-ranking officers, effectively downgrading the seniority of certain commands.

The Pentagon has framed previous reductions as an effort to reduce bureaucracy. But analysts say Hegseth's latest changes may be aimed at sidelining experienced commanders, discouraging dissent and installing more officers loyal to President Donald Trump. Those concerns have intensified amid strained relations between the defense secretary and senior Pentagon officials.

The argument for reducing the senior ranks predates Hegseth's tenure. Supporters contend that fewer layers of command would cut administrative work and give officers closer to operations greater authority. Walter Ladwig, a political scientist specialising in US foreign policy at King's College London, said there is a credible case for reform.

"Since the end of the Cold War, the overall size of the force has declined significantly, but we haven't seen a corresponding reduction in the number of flag officers," Ladwig told Al Jazeera. "At the same time, we've seen headquarters and staffs proliferate."

However, the proposed cuts come after Trump and Hegseth have already fired or pushed into retirement more than two dozen military leaders since Trump took office in January 2025. Among those removed were General Randy George, the US Army's top uniformed officer, in April, and Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the chief of naval operations, in February 2025.

The administration also dismissed the only two women serving as four-star officers, alongside other senior female officers. In February 2025, Trump fired Air Force General CQ Brown as chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff as part of a wider shake-up of top military leadership. Other departures have involved civilian leaders, including Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who resigned in late August after reported disagreements over Hegseth's handling of senior military personnel.

Those dismissals, combined with blocked promotions, have raised questions about how the administration selects commanders and whether professional disagreements could jeopardise careers. Robert Ralston, a lecturer in political science and international studies at the University of Birmingham, said the proposed reductions should be weighed alongside these earlier decisions.

"These cuts appear to be part of a broader, sustained effort by Hegseth to fill the ranks based on political, rather than meritocratic, considerations," Ralston told Al Jazeera. "Politics is driving these decisions, in my view."

Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona criticised Hegseth's changes at the Pentagon. "The US military doesn't need more testosterone; it needs better leadership at this point," Kelly told MS NOW's Morning Joe programme last week. "The consequences of firing all these admirals and generals are that we're losing a portion, a good portion, of a generation of great leadership."

David Galbreath, professor of war and technology at the University of Bath in the UK, told Al Jazeera that resistance from Congress and military leaders could complicate the changes. He pointed to the opposition that arose to President Jimmy Carter's plans to withdraw US ground troops from South Korea as an example of how military and congressional pressure can constrain a president.

"I suspect that after the election, we are likely to see a much more confrontational Congress with investigations and impeachments of Hegseth," Galbreath said. Whether that prediction comes true will likely depend on November's congressional elections and whether the Republican Party retains control of both chambers of Congress.

Hegseth's tenure at the Pentagon has been marked by controversy and tensions with senior officials. In March 2025, he shared details of forthcoming strikes on Yemen in a Signal chat group that inadvertently included The Atlantic's editor-in-chief. A number of US media reports about dwindling weapons supplies in the Middle East prompted his department to investigate leaks and restrict journalists' access earlier this year, according to The New York Times.

The combination of personnel cuts, political controversy and congressional scrutiny means Hegseth's "State of the Force" address on Wednesday will be closely watched, both for what it reveals about the future shape of the US military and for how it signals the administration's broader approach to the armed forces.