War Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to announce a 20 percent reduction in the number of general and admiral positions across the U.S. military during a State of the Force address in Quantico, Virginia, on Wednesday, according to memos obtained by Fox News Digital.
The new target doubles the 10 percent overall reduction in general and flag officer positions that Hegseth ordered last year as part of an effort to streamline the military’s senior leadership. That earlier directive also called for a 20 percent reduction in active-duty four-star positions and a 20 percent reduction in National Guard general officers.
Hegseth approved reduction plans for the Army, Navy, Air Force and the military’s joint pool earlier this month, according to the memos. The services have been directed to implement the plans and complete the reductions by January 1, 2027.
Hegseth first introduced the effort, which he has called the “Less Generals More GIs Policy,” in May 2025.
“This is not a slash-and-burn exercise meant to punish high-ranking officers,” Hegseth said at the time. “This has been a deliberative process, working with the Joint Chiefs of Staff with one goal: maximizing strategic readiness and operational effectiveness by making prudent reductions in the general and flag officer ranks.”
Election Security Directive
The reduction announcement follows a separate order Hegseth signed Monday directing U.S. Cyber Command to mount what officials describe as a “whole-of-government” response to protect election systems from foreign interference.
The directive, dated September 22, instructs Cyber Command and defense intelligence agencies to monitor foreign threats, counter election-related cyberattacks and coordinate with the Department of Homeland Security. It authorizes use of intelligence, cyber operations and artificial intelligence tools to detect and disrupt foreign interference in upcoming U.S. elections.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement that Cyber Command and defense intelligence teams would work “in lockstep with federal, state, and local partners” to “defend the integrity of America’s voting systems, expose foreign malign influence, and ensure our democratic processes remain secure from external manipulation while protecting the fundamental freedoms of the American people.”
The memo does not authorize troops at polling stations or the seizure of voting machines.
