Pete Hegseth to cut 20 percent of generals and admirals

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has approved plans to reduce positions for generals and admirals by up to 20 percent. The Army, Navy, Air Force and joint organizations must complete the changes by January 1, 2027. The plan targets senior officer billets rather than necessarily removing current officers, and some posts could be downgraded to colonel or Navy captain. The restructuring expands an earlier reduction target. Officials told The Washington Post on September 29, 2026, that an announcement is expected. Coverage differs on wording and certainty. The Washington Post says Hegseth is expected to announce cuts of as much as 20 percent and frames them as deeper cuts to remake the top ranks. Other outlets report he has approved a 20 percent cut. Fox News calls the move a doubling of cuts in a major shakeup, while reporting overall describes an expansion of a prior target. Headlines split between cutting generals and admirals and cutting the posts reserved for them. How the services will reassign billets by the 2027 deadline, and the final announcement details, are not yet settled.