Hegseth Blocks Promotions of Black and Female Officers

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth removed four Army officers—two Black men and two women—from a brigadier general promotion list, reporting said.

The action follows Hegseth's stated campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion and a broader Pentagon shake-up that has included firing and reassigning senior officers, reporting said.

Sen. Jack Reed, as ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he is looking into the allegations and called such removals potentially illegal, a statement said.

Reporting said roughly four to at least six promotions have been blocked and that about three dozen officers remain on the promotion list, most of whom are white men.

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll reportedly refused to remove the names and Hegseth reportedly struck them himself, and the resulting list is under White House review before being sent to the Senate for confirmation, reporting said.