Hegseth Removed 9 Navy Officers From Admiral List, Leaving 22 Mostly White Men
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 3
Hegseth Removed 9 Navy Officers From Admiral List, Leaving 22 Mostly White Men
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 3
Summary
Nine navy officers were stripped from a May promotion slate by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, leaving 22 nominees for one-star admiral in an all-male, overwhelmingly white lineup.
The removed officers included women and Black service members, according to the New York Times, which said Hegseth overruled a board of admirals without explaining the changes to the navy.
The Pentagon denied race or gender drove the decision, saying promotions are based on merit, but a navy source said officials had been confident in the original list and viewed the intervention as a clear signal.
The move mirrors a March case in which Hegseth reportedly cut two women and two Black officers from an army general-officer slate, part of a broader Trump administration drive against DEI in the military.
The published list now heads to the Senate even as it contrasts with a force that is more than 21% women and nearly 40% racial minorities, and as courts scrutinize related anti-diversity policies.