US Defense Secretary Blocks Senior Air Force Promotions
The report stated that the affected officers’ identities have not been publicly disclosed. It also said similar delays or blocks have affected senior Army and Navy promotion cases.
According to reports, Hegseth is believed to have taken action based on factors such as race, gender, associations with previous diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, or concerns about perceived political loyalty.
Hegseth has previously stated that he aims to remove what he described as “woke” leadership within the armed forces, arguing that earlier administrations promoted officers in part to meet diversity objectives rather than strictly on merit.
Since assuming office, he has reportedly removed or sidelined more than 20 senior flag officers, including high-ranking figures in the Army and Navy, among them Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. C.Q. Brown and Navy Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti.
A Pentagon spokesperson, Sean Parnell, emphasized that all military promotions are based on merit and stated that the Defense Department “will never consider the color of a service member’s skin or their gender as a factor in promotions,” according to reports.
Under US law, only the president has the authority to remove a name from a promotion list, while the Defense Secretary may only recommend such actions in writing. It remains unclear whether proper procedures were followed in these cases, according to the report.
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