Hegseth directs Pentagon to reduce number of 4-star generals and admirals by 20%

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday directed senior leadership at the Pentagon to reduce the number of four-star generals and admirals by at least 20% as part of his effort to streamline the military.

The new Trump administration has been working to cut redundancies in the federal government and reduce wasteful spending. The effort has been spearheaded by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.

The memorandum also directed the Pentagon to reduce the number of general officers in the National Guard by a minimum of 20%, and the total number of general and flag officers by another 10% across the services. 

There are approximately 900 general and flag officers in the military, and there were 37 four-star generals and admirals in the military in 2023, according to CNN. 

"The Department of Defense is committed to ensuring the lethality of U.S. Military Forces to deter threats and, when necessary, achieve decisive victory," Hegseth wrote in the order. "To accomplish this mission, we must cultivate exceptional senior leaders who drive innovation and operational excellence, unencumbered by unnecessary bureaucratic layers that hinder their growth and effectiveness."

The secretary added that the new directive will help uphold the U.S. as the "most lethal fighting force in the world" and delivers on President Donald Trump's commitment to achieve "peace through strength."

The order comes after Trump replaced former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff CQ Brown Jr. with Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine in February.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.