Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has again sparked controversy inside the Pentagon after reportedly removing multiple Navy officers from a promotion list, including women and Black service members who had already been selected by senior naval leadership.
According to reports, Hegseth blocked the promotions of at least seven Navy captains who had been selected by senior Navy leaders for elevation to one-star admiral. The move reportedly altered the final promotion slate before it was sent up the chain for approval, raising new questions about the administration’s role in military personnel decisions.
Officers Removed After Navy Review Process
The officers had already been vetted and selected through the Navy’s traditional promotion system, which relies on boards of senior admirals to evaluate service records, leadership experience and career performance.
According to reporting citing current and former defense officials, at least two women and two Black men were among the officers removed from the list. Three white male officers were also reportedly struck from consideration.
The resulting group of 22 nominees reportedly contains no women. The latest list also continues a broader trend that has drawn attention inside the Navy regarding the declining number of women advancing into flag officer ranks.
Pentagon Defends Merit-Based Approach
The Pentagon has pushed back on suggestions that race or gender motivated the decisions.
Officials have argued that Hegseth’s personnel actions are part of a wider effort to emphasize merit-based advancement and eliminate what the administration views as diversity-focused promotion policies. Pentagon officials have also noted that the officers removed were not accused of misconduct and were not under investigation.
Still, military officials interviewed by multiple outlets described the intervention as highly unusual because promotion boards are traditionally insulated from political influence. Several reports noted that senior military leaders questioned whether a defense secretary should selectively remove individual officers after a board has completed its work.
Part Of A Larger Pentagon Shake-Up
The Navy promotion dispute follows earlier reports that Hegseth intervened in an Army promotion list, where two Black officers and two female officers were reportedly removed from consideration for brigadier general.
Since taking office, Hegseth has overseen a series of high-profile leadership changes throughout the military, including the removal of senior commanders and aggressive efforts to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across the Defense Department.
Critics argue the moves risk politicizing military personnel decisions, while supporters contend the Pentagon is returning to a strictly performance-based promotion system.
Growing Questions Inside The Military
The dispute has intensified concerns among some current and former defense officials who worry that direct intervention in promotion boards could undermine confidence in the military’s advancement process.
Several experts told reporters they could not recall another instance in which a defense secretary personally removed individual officers from a vetted one-star promotion list after military review boards had already completed their recommendations.
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