Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced a 20% cut to the number of generals and admirals in the U.S. military, sparking controversy among lawmakers and experts.
The cuts are part of a broader effort to retool the U.S. military and reduce its reliance on diversity programs, according to Hegseth.
During his speech at the Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, Hegseth touted the Trump administration's major investments in the defense industry and push for contractors to speed up their work to expand the nation's weapons arsenals.
The Cuts: A 'Purge' of the Military's Top Ranks?
Lawmakers and experts have criticized the cuts, calling them a 'purge' of the military's top ranks that will take years to rebuild.
Members of Congress have criticized the war and the drawdown of munitions stockpiles, and some have called the latest cuts to the general ranks a 'purge' of the military's top ranks.
The Pentagon's New Priorities
Hegseth has also announced the creation of a new four-star command to oversee the rollout of autonomous and robotic capabilities in what he called 'the fastest peacetime shift in modern military history.'
The rollout comes a month after officials said an Army unit based in Europe that specialized in drone warfare had been directed to return to being a traditional infantry battalion, ending its efforts to learn and use the battlefield technology.
The War with Iran: A Stalemate
The announcement of the new drone command comes with the U.S. in a stalemate with Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy shipping corridor.
Hegseth repeated claims that the U.S. military has destroyed Iran's navy, air force, and defense systems as well as many of its leaders and its industrial base.
The Next Development
As the U.S. military continues to retool and the war with Iran drags on, lawmakers and experts will be closely watching Hegseth's next moves.
