Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Blocks Promotions of Female & Minority Officers

The New York Times reported that in March 2026, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth made the "highly unusual" move of interceding in the promotions of four officers to be one-star generals, two of whom were Black and two of whom were women. They were among approximately three dozen officers recommended for promotion, and the majority of whom were reportedly white males. The pattern has since repeated: in May 2026, Hegseth blocked the promotions of at least seven Navy officers who had been selected by a board of senior Navy admirals, in a move that disproportionately targeted women and minority officers. No female officers appeared on the resulting one-star list, which was released publicly in late May, despite women comprising roughly 21 percent of the active-duty Navy. Statutory and departmental guidance states the Secretary of Defense can remove officers from promotion lists for moral, mental, physical, or professional failings that raise questions about fitness to lead. The Pentagon's chief spokesperson declined to explain why Hegseth pulled the officers, saying only that promotions "are given to those who have earned them." The interventions have prompted concerns about prejudice and the politicization of a merit-based promotion system.