U.S. Defense Secretary Announces Plan to Reduce Senior Military Ranks and Emphasizes Readiness

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a gathering of service members at Marine Corps Base Quantico that the Department of Defense will eliminate roughly one-fifth of its senior officers, including generals and admirals, as part of a restructuring effort. He said the move is intended to focus the force on "training, readiness, accountability, discipline and lethality."

Hegseth also claimed that retention rates for personnel on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln were at a "record" level, noting that about 80% of the crew remained aboard after a deployment that lasted nearly nine months. He dismissed recent reports of low morale and mental-health concerns among the crew as inaccurate.

"The only focus, as you know, in your formations should be training, readiness, accountability, discipline and lethality," Hegseth said.

He added that the Pentagon would partner with a range of higher-education institutions, including Liberty University, Hillsdale College, Louisiana State University, Mississippi University and Tuskegee University, to develop an educational pipeline for future military personnel.

During the same speech, Hegseth announced a new Pentagon project that will involve technology and policy experts, including Elon Musk and former Trump donor Palmer Luckey, to study the future of warfare.

The remarks came amid ongoing public discussion about the extended deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln, which was at sea for 286 days before returning to a Thai port on September 1. Eight crew members had attempted suicide during the deployment, according to reports released last week.