Panetta says Hegseth is "undermining the strength" of the military after 6 Army officers are pulled from the two-star promotion list
The six were cut from a slate of 18 a peer review board had already approved, and the Pentagon has given no reason.
Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Pete Hegseth is damaging the armed forces through constant churn at the top, and that repairing it will take "several years, or a decade". The six officers were cut from a slate of 18 a peer review board had already approved; two are Black and two are women, and the Pentagon has given no reason. The criticism followed Army Secretary Dan Driscoll's resignation on Sept. 1.
- At least 20 uniformed and civilian defense leaders have been fired, forced out or have resigned since Hegseth took office in January 2025, per a CBS News tally.
- A May 2025 Hegseth memo ordered 20% cuts to four-star and general-officer ranks and 10% cuts more broadly.
- Days earlier, Hegseth blocked four other officers from one-star promotions; some had worked for two commanders he had already pushed out.