Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has blocked the promotions of four Army officers to one-star general, all of whom reportedly have ties to generals he recently removed from command, drawing sharp criticism from retired military leaders who say the move is unprecedented and risks undermining discipline.
Earlier this year, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth intervened to remove four Army officers, described as two women and two Black men, from a promotion list for brigadier general. The move comes on the heels of a broader shakeup at the Pentagon under Hegseth’s leadership, which began early last year and has included the ouster of top Army generals Randy George and Chris Donahue, as well as Colonel David Butler, an adviser to the Army secretary.
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell, one of Hegseth’s senior advisers, defended the decision in a statement, saying, “Military promotions are given to those who have earned them. This has always been the case under Secretary Hegseth and will not change.” But retired lieutenant general Richard Newton, a former assistant vice chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, called Hegseth’s intervention “unnecessary, unwarranted and it’s certainly unprecedented.” Newton added, “I believe at the end of the day it’s really not very good for good order of discipline inside the military ranks.”
The four officers reportedly had professional ties to either Gen. Randy George, who was removed as Army chief of staff in April, or Gen. Chris Donahue, ousted from his role as commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa in June. While Hegseth’s specific reasons for blocking the promotions were not stated, the report from The Hill notes that Hegseth has blocked promotions across the Army, Air Force, and Navy, and has fired more than two senior military officers since assuming his post.
The string of high-level personnel moves has left the Army without a Senate-confirmed chief of staff since George’s removal. Gen. James Mingus retired in October, and Christopher LaNeve, a former Hegseth adviser and former commander of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, was tapped by President Trump and Hegseth as acting chief of staff. However, LaNeve’s permanent appointment requires unanimous support from Republican senators on the Senate Armed Services Committee, a hurdle that remains unresolved.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, described as an ally of Vice President J.D. Vance and as having had a close working relationship with Randy George, was reportedly dismayed by Hegseth’s removal of the four officers. Driscoll is said to be open to leaving his post “around” Labor Day, though the White House wants him to stay at least through the November midterm elections.
The controversial promotion blocks have fueled debate within military circles and among lawmakers. Critics argue that sidelining officers with ties to previously ousted generals sets a dangerous precedent and could chill independent judgment among senior ranks. Newton warned that such intervention “is really not very good for good order of discipline inside the military ranks.”
Supporters of Hegseth’s approach, including Pentagon officials, point to a desire for greater accountability and cultural change at the Pentagon. One official said of Sean Parnell, who is reportedly being considered as a successor to Driscoll as Army secretary, “Mr. Parnell has a deep bench of supporters throughout the Administration and has worked tirelessly to enable cultural change and accountability in the Pentagon.”
Despite the turmoil, the Army continues to operate without a Senate-confirmed chief of staff, and the fate of the four sidelined officers remains unclear. The specific process Hegseth used to remove the officers from the promotion list and the details of their ties to the ousted generals were not disclosed.
In an era when Americans expect transparency and merit in military leadership, the Pentagon’s actions under Secretary Hegseth are a sharp reminder that accountability can be disruptive, but sometimes disruption is exactly what the system needs.
