- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly blocked the promotions of at least seven Navy captains to one-star admirals, targeting women and Black men, as part of his campaign against 'woke' beliefs in the military.
- Reports indicate that Hegseth's actions, which also included attempts to prevent existing admirals from advancing, may violate the U.S. military's apolitical and merit-based promotion rules.
- These moves follow Hegseth's recent speech at West Point, where he criticized previous leaders as 'woke and weak' and stated, 'Diversity is not our strength. Unity is our strength.'
- The Pentagon, through spokesman Sean Parnell, defended the promotion process, stating it is based on merit and does not consider race or gender, while criticizing The New York Times ' reporting.
- Since his confirmation as Trump’s defense secretary, Hegseth has reportedly blocked or fired at least two dozen admirals and generals, including firing Adm. Lisa Franchetti and recommending Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown be fired for focusing on diversity.
IN FULL
