War Secretary Pete Hegseth has blocked the promotions of nine Navy officers who were selected by a board of senior admirals for one-star admiral positions. According to the New York Times, among those blocked are three women, two black men, and four white men. The Pentagon released the list of 22 nominated promotions on May 22, 2026.
While defense secretaries traditionally have the authority to intervene in promotions for cause, it is uncommon for Hegseth to do so for both the Army and Navy's recent one-star promotions. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated that the decision was not related to the officers' gender or race, asserting that military promotions are based on merit. He criticized the New York Times for what he described as a narrative focused on race and gender rather than merit.
Hegseth has expressed opposition to diversity and inclusion efforts within the military and has indicated that he may remove senior military leaders who implemented such policies under the previous administration. In a congressional hearing on April 30, he discussed his approach to changing the culture of the department, although he did not provide specific reasons for the removal of Gen. Randy George, the Army chief of staff. Hegseth has also dismissed several other senior military leaders without clear explanations, citing a need for alignment with his vision for the department.
