Pete Hegseth reportedly blocked the one-star promotions of Navy officers, including African Americans, women, and white men

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has blocked the promotion of several senior Navy officers to the one-star rank, which is the lowest level of admiral. These officers had already been chosen for advancement by a board of senior Navy admirals, but his intervention has now stopped their progress before the promotions could take effect.

This is the second time Hegseth has stepped into the military’s promotion process. He took a similar action earlier regarding Army promotions to brigadier general, when several colonels who had been selected were pulled from consideration.

ABC News points out that it is unusual for a Secretary of Defense to step into these lists, though they do have the authority to do so for cause. The list of Navy officers who were removed includes African Americans, women, and white men, a group that cut across different backgrounds rather than affecting any single one.

Reasons cited for the removals and a wider pattern of intervention

Sources familiar with the situation said the removals were based on several reasons, including involvement or participation in military Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs. The Pentagon originally released the official promotion list in May. This pattern of intervention is not limited to the Navy. When Hegseth stepped into the Army promotion list, four colonels were removed from consideration. That group included two women and two African American officers.

Since Hegseth took on the role of defense secretary, 19 senior flag officers or generals have been sidelined or fired. Several of those individuals were minorities or women. These moves come amid reports about who is filling the leadership vacuum, and the trend has reduced the recent gains women had been making in senior military ranks, even as the overall makeup of the armed forces continues to change.

Sources also noted that Hegseth made efforts to get one of his own senior military aides included on a promotion list. Captain William Francis Jr., a Navy SEAL who serves as an assistant to Hegseth, was the subject of these efforts. 

However, he could not be reviewed by the promotion board because he failed to meet specific criteria, such as the requirement of having headed a major command. The current leadership at the Pentagon says these decisions are about upholding specific standards. 

Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell reportedly gave a statement on X about the approach to these advancements. “As we’ve said before, military promotions are given to those who have earned them. The Department will never consider the color of a service member’s skin or their gender as a factor in promotions.”

Hegseth has been very vocal about his desire to change the culture within the military. During his time in the role, he has focused on removing policies he describes as creating a “woke” military environment set up under previous administrations. 

He has also addressed top admirals and generals directly to speak out against these concepts and lay out his preferred standards, and one of his recent public remarks drew wide attention. Hegseth has stated he intends to reshape the military’s leadership structure, and these blocked promotions are tied to that goal. Reportedly, the changes mark a shift in how the Department of Defense is handling its senior officer corps as these personnel changes continue.