USA30 September, 20263 min read
Pete Hegseth Cuts 20% Of US Generals And Admirals, Unveils AUTOWARCOM At Quantico
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Defense Secretary Hegseth to cut 20% of generals and admirals across U.S. armed forces. Unveils Autonomous Warfare Command to lead drones, AI, and robotic warfare.
52 outlets told this the same way.
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Quantico Shake-Up
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the United States military will cut 20% of the most senior military ranks, general and flag officer slots, as he delivered his “State of the Force” address at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. Hegseth said the “number crunchers” reported “we fired 10% of the generals and admirals across the force,” and he added that the Pentagon “reduced the overall number of general officer slots by an additional 10%.” Hegseth also unveiled the creation of a new four-star “AUTOWARCOM” command to integrate fast-developing autonomous drone technologies and artificial intelligence, and he said the command will be led by a four-star general.
Hegseth told the audience that there are currently 841 active-duty generals and admirals, according to Defense Department data, and he said he addressed 600 service members at Quantico. Hegseth framed the personnel changes as consequences for “the 10% of these generals and admirals ‘who clung to the Woke Department’,” and he called the reduction “accountability and long overdue.”
Debate in Congress
Democratic Senator Mark Kelly criticized Hegseth’s cuts by telling the Associated Press that “He’s purging a generation of great leaders of the military, and it’s going to take a generation to recover from it.” Republican Senator Mike Rounds said he wanted to see Hegseth’s reasoning, telling the Associated Press, “If it’s simply a matter of eliminating a very heavy top, there may be some validity to it, but I want to see it first.” Hegseth defended the shake-up by saying, “The media calls that a purge; I call that accountability and long overdue,” during the same Quantico address.
Hegseth also tied his technology push to battlefield change, saying, “the pace of war is changing faster than the process to support it.” Hegseth said the Pentagon chief pointed to Ukraine’s drone use, adding, “Ukraine's lesson is not that one type of drone wins wars, but rather the need for a purpose-built system that maximizes the ability to adapt.”
New Commands, New Base
Hegseth said the Pentagon will create an Office of Religious Affairs with “a direct line to the secretary,” and he described the department as “putting on the full armor of God.” Hegseth announced that Elon Musk, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Anduril's Palmer Luckey would participate in a new “Project Meridien” to study the future of warfare. Hegseth said the U.S. would build a new base in the U.S. for the first time in 40 years, and he urged governors to “to step up to the plate and bring us their best sales pitch” as the Pentagon deliberates where to build it.
Hegseth also said it would be a priority for the Pentagon to wean bases off civilian power grids, warning that “our bases stay lit, our aircraft keep flying, our command centers never go dark.” Hegseth’s plans arrived while the U.S. remained in a stalemate with Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz, and the war had forced American forces to expend “hundreds of expensive missile interceptors” to defend against Iranian missile and drone attacks.