In a sweeping restructuring effort, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Monday ordered a 20% reduction in the number of active-duty four-star generals and admirals, marking a significant shakeup within the Pentagon under President Donald Trump’s second term.
According to a memo issued by Hegseth, the move is part of a broader strategy to streamline military leadership and eliminate what he called “redundant force structure.” In addition to the four-star cuts, the memo also mandates a 10% reduction in the overall number of general and flag officers and a 20% cut specifically within the National Guard’s general ranks.
“This is not a slash and burn exercise meant to punish high-ranking officers,” Hegseth said in a video posted on X, formerly Twitter. “This has been a deliberative process… with one goal: maximizing strategic readiness and operational effectiveness.” He added that the initiative is about making leadership leaner and more efficient — a vision he summarized with the phrase, “less generals, more GIs.”
The restructuring will occur in two phases: first targeting the top-tier four-star officers and National Guard generals, followed by the broader 10% reduction across all services. As of March 2025, the U.S. military included 38 four-star officers and a total of 817 generals and admirals in active duty.
The directive comes as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reshape the Pentagon’s leadership and reduce bureaucratic overhead. Since January, the White House has dismissed multiple senior military officials, including General Charles “CQ” Brown, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and top leaders of the Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, and the NSA. These firings, many of them abrupt and unexplained, have sparked concerns about the growing politicization of the military.
While Hegseth has defended the changes as necessary to enhance lethality and strategic efficiency, critics — particularly Democratic lawmakers — have warned that the moves may undermine the longstanding political neutrality of the U.S. Armed Forces.
The Pentagon also announced plans in February to cut its civilian workforce by at least 5%, aligning with President Trump’s broader goal of reducing the size and cost of the federal government.
As the military braces for the implications of these sweeping changes, defense analysts say the reductions could have both immediate and long-term effects on command structure, morale, and operational continuity.\
Sources By Agencies
