Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has again intervened in the military's senior officer promotion process, removing at least six Army officers from a list slated for promotion to two-star general, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The latest action comes just days after Hegseth blocked the promotions of four Army officers selected for one-star rank. Some of those officers had ties to former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, whom Hegseth ousted in early April, and Gen. Chris Donahue, the former commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa who retired earlier this summer.
Hegseth's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Earlier this year, the defense secretary similarly pulled four Army officers—two women and two Black men—from a one-star promotion list, a move that drew criticism from Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and other top officials.
Driscoll submitted his resignation to the White House on Monday, departing the Trump administration after a months-long turf war with Hegseth. The resignation further signals Hegseth's determination to impose his will on the Army, a service branch he has repeatedly clashed with over personnel and policy decisions.
Hegseth and his allies maintain that the Defense Department does not consider gender or race when weighing promotions. In addition to the Army, Hegseth has blocked promotions of officers in the Navy and Air Force, actions that have rankled former military leaders who call them unnecessary and damaging to the service branches.
Promotion board recommendations require the defense secretary's approval, though the president retains the authority to remove officers from any list. Hegseth told Congress in April that every officer serves at the “pleasure of the president, and when they need to be removed in order to ensure we have the right leadership in those services, I will make those calls.”
The repeated blocks have unnerved Democrats and some Republicans on Capitol Hill. In July, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, criticized Hegseth for firing more than two dozen senior military officers and blocking promotions. “The United States military is one of the greatest meritocracies in the free world,” Collins said. “We need to make sure that it stays that way.”
Other GOP members have sided with Hegseth. Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.), a House Armed Services Committee member, told The Hill on Tuesday that “there was concerns over them being political. We serve at the goodwill of the president.”
NBC News reported earlier Tuesday that several of the officers on the two-star list were logisticians responsible for supply and maintenance, ensuring troops have fuel, food, and equipment. The New York Times reported that Hegseth targeted seven officers, including two Black officers and two women.
In July, Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) demanded an independent investigation by the Pentagon Inspector General into Hegseth's blocks. “Secretary Hegseth's alleged use of his personal views and perceptions on race and gender to interfere with the promotion process completely nullifies the extensive, competitive, rigorous and merit-based vetting process of candidates that the selection boards put forward,” they wrote in a letter. “It is clear his determinations are antithetical to the standards that should be assessed when considering promotions.”
The ongoing turmoil has raised questions about the stability of military leadership. Hegseth has also cut civilian protection programs despite warnings from top brass, and his $1.5 trillion defense request has been criticized by analysts as undermining U.S. security. As the feud with Army leadership escalates, Hegseth is also weighing a new Army secretary pick, potentially from his own communications team.
