Hegseth cuts US army generals and worsens the leadership vacuum in critical positions

WashingtonUnited States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is cutting the number of U.S. Army generals and admirals by 20% amid ongoing struggles to fill vacancies in critical leadership positions. The Pentagon chief announced an additional 10% reduction this Wednesday, which adds to the same figure already ordered in May 2025, during an extraordinary address at the Quantico Marine base, where just a year ago he accused senior military commanders of allowing "fat" and "bearded" soldiers. The cut comes at a critical moment for the world's most powerful military, which remains bogged down in the Iran war and faces gaps in key areas following Hegseth's purge.

"The media calls it a purge, but I call it accountability and a measure that was long overdue. Honestly, I believe it is the bare minimum," asserted Hegseth, in what he defended as a "reorientation" of the U.S. military. "We only want high-performing generals," added the Secretary of Defense.

Hegseth had already ordered in May 2025 the reduction of at least 10% of generals and high-ranking officers, as well as 20% of the National Guard (the reserve corps) generals. In a memorandum published on the Department of Defense website, the secretary justified the cut as necessary to "drive innovation and operational excellence." All to reduce "unnecessary bureaucracy."

At least 23 generals, admirals, and leaders from the civilian side of the Pentagon have been fired or have resigned from their posts following pressure from Hegseth. The most recent case is that of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who resigned at the end of August due to frictions with Hegseth. On repeated occasions, the leader of the Pentagon's civilian branch has expressed his concern about how the Secretary of Defense is managing the transformation of the military apparatus.

Critical positions such as the Army Chief of Staff or the director of ground unit equipment—on which the supply of Patriot missiles depends—have remained vacant for months. In June, Hegseth also forced General Christopher T. Donahue, the top U.S. Army commander in Europe, to retire. The decision dealt a heavy blow to those who considered him a benchmark in pushing for military adaptation to a future battlefield dominated by drones and artificial intelligence.

The systematic purge that Hegseth has carried out at the Pentagon has also caused a climate of unrest in which it is increasingly difficult for military experts to fulfill their role as advisors.