QUANTICO, Va. — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced in a “State of the Force” address on Wednesday that the military will cut 20 percent of its generals and admirals by Jan. 1, 2027, and create a new four-star command focused on drones and autonomous systems, the Associated Press reported.
Hegseth said he directed the services to double a 10 percent reduction he ordered last spring affecting roughly 800 flag and general officer posts. “I call it accountability and long overdue,” he told junior officers and enlisted leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico. Some lawmakers called the drawdown a “purge”; Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said it would take a generation to recover leadership lost in the cuts.
Hegseth also said the Pentagon would stand up a drone-focused warfare command and launch a future-warfare study led in part by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Anduril co-founder Palmer Luckey. He touted plans for a new military base — the first in about 40 years — and other personnel and cultural changes. The speech came amid a grinding U.S. war with Iran and other overseas operations, AP reported.
Sources: Associated Press via NBC News, Associated Press via ABC News
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