In a bold move aimed at restoring accountability and cutting bureaucratic bloat, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered a 20 percent reduction in four-star generals, declaring “Less Generals, More GIs.” The decision signals a sharp departure from the top-heavy military structure that ballooned under previous administrations, where bloated leadership ranks often came at the expense of combat readiness and frontline troops.
Hegseth said the cuts will roll out in two phases: first, a 20 percent reduction in active-duty four-star generals and admirals; then, a broader 10 percent cut across all generals and flag officers in the Department of Defense. Alongside this, the military will begin realigning its Unified Command Plan.
Hegseth called the plan necessary to "achieving peace through strength."
Introducing the “Less Generals More GIs Policy.” pic.twitter.com/bQLRL2MqSC
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) May 5, 2025
“We’re going to shift resources from bloated headquarters elements to our warfighters," he said, adding that while the changes will be done “carefully,” it's going to be “done expeditiously."
Currently, the U.S. military has 44 four-star and flag officers—roughly one general for every 1,400 troops—compared to one for every 6,000 during World War II. The reduction aligns with Hegseth’s push to build a “leaner, more lethal force.”
“This is not a slash-and-burn exercise meant to punish high-ranking officers," but a “deliberative process, working with the joint chiefs with one goal: maximizing strategic readiness and operational effectiveness by making prudent reductions,” he said.
Hegseth called the review the most comprehensive in 40 years, saying, “We must be lean and mean—even if that means cutting generals.”