NowWire · AI-assisted reporting summary · September 30, 2026 UTC
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to call for a 20% cut to generals and admirals across the United States military during an address at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, according to a Pentagon official cited by CBS News. Fox News first reported the planned reductions. [1]
The planned announcement follows previous directives from Hegseth targeting flag and general officer positions to reduce bureaucratic layers. As of July, the Department of Defense tallied 851 active-duty generals and admirals, approaching the federal statutory cap of 857. Democratic Senator Mark Kelly criticized the move on Tuesday, stating that the administration is purging top leadership, while debate persists among analysts regarding the necessity of upper-echelon military positions. [1]
Sources
- Hegseth to announce a 20% cut to generals and admirals — 2026-09-29T19:24:00-0400