U.S Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth removed nine officers from the U.S Navy promotion list, according to a report by the New York Times. Hegseth reportedly removed at least three women, two Black men, and four white men.
No female officers made the May list despite women making 21 per cent of active-duty Navy personnel. While 38 per cent of the Navy are racial minorities, only two non-white officers were included in the final 22-person slate of one-star admiral nominees.
The outlet spoke to four anonymous current and former defence officials, who said that Hegseth’s move possibly violated the rules for the apolitical, merit-based promotion system, calling his actions “highly unusual”.
As per the Pentagon rules, the Defence Secretary is only allowed to drop officers for moral, mental, physical, or professional failings that raise concerns regarding fitness-to-lead.
Hegseth had earlier made a speech at West Point, criticising previous leaders as “woke and weak” and said, “Diversity is not our strength. Unity is our strength.”
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell denied any racial and gender discrimination affecting military promotions.
“More race-baiting garbage from the Failing New York Times and its radical left reporters,” Parnell posted on X “They continue to push this worn out narrative because they view almost everything through the lens of race and gender over merit. As we’ve said before, military promotions are given to those who have earned them. The Department will never consider the color of a service member’s skin or their gender as a factor in promotions.”
He further added, “Under President Trump and @SecWar Hegseth, meritocracy reigns supreme at the War Department.”
The New York Times had reported that Hegseth blocked the promotions of two women Army officers and two Black Army officers to one-star generals in March.
Hegseth had also recommended the firing of former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Charles “CQ” Brown, publicly questioning whether Brown was appointed to the role due to diversity initiatives rather than merit.
