Defense Secretary to Propose 20% Cut in General and Flag Officer Slots
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth plans to reduce the number of active-duty general and admiral positions by one-fifth, with implementation slated for early 2027.
The Department of Defense will announce a proposal to lower the count of active-duty generals and admirals by 20%, doubling the reduction announced last year. The plan, which Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will detail in a "State of the Force" address to service members at Marine Corps Base Quantico, requires the services to complete the cuts by Jan. 1, 2027.
The Pentagon said the military had 809 senior officers as of Sept. 30, 2023, slightly below the statutory ceiling. Officials noted that the share of top-rank officers has risen markedly over the past six decades.
"This is not a slash-and-burn exercise meant to punish high-ranking officers," Hegseth said in a video posted to social media in May 2025, describing the move as "prudent reductions in the general and flag officer ranks."
Critics of the current officer structure argue that the high proportion of one-star and above ranks creates administrative bloat, while some analysts contend that the numbers reflect the demands of modern warfare. The upcoming speech will be addressed to enlisted personnel rather than senior leaders, a shift from the previous year’s gathering of senior officers.
In a related action, Hegseth ordered military academies to stop appointing civilian professors to tenured positions, stating that the change is needed to keep educational programs aligned with the warfighting mission.