Hegseth orders 20% reduction of four-star generals and admirals

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday ordered a minimum 20% reduction of four-star generals and admirals across the military, he said in a memo addressed to senior Pentagon leadership.

He also ordered at least 20% of general officers in the National Guard and 10% of all flag and general officers to be cut. In the one-page memo, which was posted on the Defense Department’s website, Hegseth said that to “drive innovation and operational excellence, the military must be “unencumbered by unnecessary bureaucratic layers that hinder their growth and effectiveness,” and part of achieving this “is removing redundant force structure to optimize and streamline leadership by reducing excess general and flag officer positions.”

Hegseth announced the memo in a video on X, vowing, “We’re going to shift resources from bloated headquarters elements to our warfighters.” 

He did not give a timeline for the cuts but said they would be carried out “expeditiously.”

There are currently 38 four-star generals or admirals, as of March 31, 2025, according to Defense Department data. CNN first reported Hegseth’s memo. 

Hegseth has raised questions about the number of top military officers in the past. 

“We won World War II with seven four-star generals. Today we have 44,” Hegseth said at a town hall at the Pentagon in February. “Do all of those directly contribute to warfighting success? Maybe they do — I don’t know — but it’s worth reviewing to make sure they do.”