Hegseth made the announcement during his “State of the Force” speech on Wednesday afternoon.

The United States military is too top-heavy, according to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who previously vowed a 10 percent reduction of generals and admirals. On Tuesday, Hegseth doubled down—literally—calling for a 20 percent cut to generals and flag officer positions, to be completed by January 1, 2027.

In his “State of the Force” speech this afternoon, Hegseth announced that the Defense Department had “reduced the overall number of general officers by an additional 10 percent … a 20 percent reduction across the board.”

“The media calls that a purge,” Hegseth said. “I call it accountability, and long overdue, and frankly the bare minimum.”

The 20 percent reduction will include active-duty four-star generals, along with a 20 percent cut in National Guard general officers, those with a one-star rank and above.

Hegseth’s Vision: Fewer Generals, More GIs

Hegseth, who worked as a Fox News weekend anchor before President Donald Trump tapped him to the top civilian post at the Pentagon, dubbed the effort “less generals, more GIs,” whereby the reduction from “bloated headquarters elements” would reallocate resources towards troops on the frontline. He added that it was further to remove a “redundant force structure to optimize and streamline leadership by reducing excess general and flag officer positions.”

Some of those positions could be downgraded instead of slashed entirely, with lower-ranking officers filling the role.

“In a Sept. 16 memo approving reductions to the military’s joint pool, Hegseth directed officials to establish O-6 requirements for general and flag officer positions identified for downgrade, allowing colonels and Navy captains to fill those jobs,” Fox News Digital first reported.

Is America’s Military Too “Top-Heavy”?

Based on Hegseth’s remarks—and some public reaction to the story—one might imagine that the US military has more uniformed personnel with stars on their sleeves than at any other time—even during World War II, when there were a record number of uniformed service members. That’s not close to accurate.

The United States military had more than 2,000 general and flag officers (star-rank officers) in its ranks on active duty during the Second World War. As many as 2,400 individual officers held a star rank between December 1941 and September 1945. That provided a ratio of roughly one general or flag officer for every 6,000 troops, out of a total active force of more than 12 million.

Today there are 848 active-duty general and flag officers in the United States military, with the number sitting slightly under the statutory cap of 857 required by law. Given that Congress has set a maximum number of general officers and admirals, it would be disingenuous to suggest that there has been a bloat with unqualified personnel being promoted.

Still, the ratio has tilted considerably. There is now one general or flag officer for every 1,500 total service members, about four times lower than in World War II. This is far from the largest such ratio in the world; that dubious distinction belongs to the Royal Thai Armed Forces, which have one general for roughly every 120 enlisted soldiers.

A 20 percent reduction would cut about 170 active-duty general and flag officers, leaving the US military with 680 to lead key military organizations around the globe. This would decrease the ratio of generals to enlisted personnel to around 1 in 1,800.

As noted, Hegseth has suggested some billets would be filled by colonels or Navy captains (those with eagles rather than stars on their shoulders) in charge. Secretary Hegseth, who was commissioned in the Army National Guard after graduating from Princeton University, rose to the rank of major (O-4).  

Not Everyone Is on Board with Hegseth’s Plan

Critics of Hegseth’s plan warn that it would force out many experienced general officers and admirals, and put less qualified individuals in charge of some billets. It could also result in some administrative challenges, as there are regulations and laws on who can lead certain posts.

“Downsizing could require changes to regulations and laws that dictate what rank a person must hold to occupy certain jobs. It may also become harder for lower-ranking officials to attend meetings or make decisions that were previously handled by officers with stars on their shoulders,” the Federal News Network explained.

Lawmakers in both parties have expressed concerns that the US military could lose career officers needed to lead the military. Hegseth has also blocked the promotions of some military personnel without a clear explanation.

“I find this deeply troubling,” said Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, during a hearing in July. “These are men and women who volunteered to serve our country and swore an oath to support and defend our Constitution.”

Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) echoed Collins’ concerns on Tuesday evening, writing, “Efficiency and streamlining in the military are worthy goals, but the size and structure of our military’s senior officer corps are matters in which Congress has a fundamental role.

“Article I of the Constitution assigns Congress the power to raise and support the armed forces and to make rules for their government,” wrote Reed, a US Army veteran. “Reshaping the senior leadership of the world’s most powerful military is precisely the kind of decision that requires consultation with and justification to Congress.”

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines, and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author at Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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