US military cuts number of generals and admirals

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the number of generals and admirals in the military has been reduced by about 20 percent. Addressing an audience at the Quantico military base, he said about 10 percent of generals and admirals have been removed, and general officer positions have been cut by a further 10 percent.

Hegseth presented the move as an effort to ensure accountability in military leadership and make the armed forces more war-focused, disciplined and ready. He said officials who did not support efforts to build a war-focused military structure, instead of the ideology-driven policies of the previous administration, were affected by this change.

In May 2025, he had ordered the number of generals and admirals cut by about 10 percent and senior four-star positions by about 20 percent. However, according to Pentagon data, the number of active generals and admirals, which stood at around 831 at that time, had risen to around 851 by the end of July 2026.