Criticism is intensifying after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth intervened in a routine military promotion process, removing four officers from a list recommended for promotion to one-star general. The decision, first reported by The New York Times, has raised concerns among former military officials and advocates, who warn it could undermine a system designed to reward merit and performance.
Senior Army leaders told the Times they supported the original candidates and resisted efforts to alter the list. The officers were qualified, and the process is intended to remain free from outside influence. Retired Space Force Colonel Bree Fram, now running for Congress in Virginia, called the move “another outrageous abuse of power.” According to the Times, the four removed officers include two women and two Black men.
However, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell has disputed the report, telling The Hill it is “full of fake news from anonymous sources who have no idea what they’re talking about and are far removed from actual decision-makers within the Pentagon.”
