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National Security

Hegseth has intervened in military promotions for more than a dozen senior officers

The defense secretary’s efforts to block or delay promotions to general or admiral for some officers has raised concerns that he may be targeting them because of race, gender or affiliation with the Biden administration, sources say.


-------- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a news briefing at the Pentagon on Tuesday.Win McNamee / Getty Images

April 2, 2026, 8:40 PM EDT / Updated April 3, 2026, 9:43 AM EDT
By Gordon Lubold and Courtney Kube

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has taken steps to block or delay promotions for more than a dozen Black and female senior officers across all four branches of the military, some of whom are seen as having been targeted because of their race, gender or perceived affiliation with Biden administration policies or officials, according to nine U.S. officials familiar with the process.

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