Pentagon to Cut US General and Admiral Positions by 20%, Official Says

The Pentagon plans to cut the number of U.S. general and admiral positions by 20%, according to a Pentagon official cited by Al Jazeera.

The plan is expected to be announced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a "State of the Force" address in Virginia, the official said, according to the report.

Al Jazeera's report did not specify the total current number of general and admiral positions across the U.S. armed forces, how many positions would be eliminated under the plan, or the timeline over which the reduction would take place.

Reductions in senior military leadership positions have periodically been proposed by U.S. defense officials as part of broader efforts to streamline the Pentagon's command structure, though such plans have in the past faced scrutiny from lawmakers and military officials over their potential impact on leadership capacity and promotion pathways.

The report did not detail whether the planned cuts would apply uniformly across the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and other service branches, or whether certain commands would be affected more than others.

Hegseth has pursued a range of changes to Pentagon policy and personnel since taking office as defense secretary, though Al Jazeera's report did not provide further detail on the stated rationale behind the planned reduction in general and admiral positions specifically.

Further details on the scope and implementation of the plan are expected to be disclosed during the "State of the Force" address, according to the Pentagon official cited in the report.