Hegseth orders 20% cut to top military ranks, announces drone command
publishers 20articles 20first reported 29 Sep, 15:00 UTC
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. military will reduce the number of generals and admirals by 20% as part of a broader Pentagon overhaul.
Speaking Wednesday at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, Hegseth directed the military services to double the 10% reduction he ordered last spring. The cuts apply to roughly 800 general and flag officer positions and are to be completed by Jan. 1, 2027, according to ABC News.
“I call it accountability and long overdue,” Hegseth said during what he described as his “State of the Force” address to junior officers and enlisted leaders.
Hegseth also announced the creation of a new four-star command to oversee the military’s adoption of autonomous and robotic systems. He called the effort “the fastest peacetime shift in modern military history.”
The announcement follows scrutiny of an Army decision to convert a Europe-based unit specializing in drone warfare back into a traditional infantry battalion. A bipartisan group of lawmakers asked the Army to explain that move amid the growing use of uncrewed systems in combat.
Hegseth also highlighted other changes under his leadership, including the rollback of diversity programs, a review of ground combat units that include women and a screening program for testosterone deficiency among male personnel.
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Reconstructed on 2 October 2026. The machine was off on this day, so no feed was read and no run took place. This edition was rebuilt afterwards from sources that keep history (Google News's dated search, GDELT, Reddit) and from articles the next runs still found, ranked as of the day's end: one edition, not the day's four runs.
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