Who Moves Up, and Who's Pushed Out, in Pete Hegseth's Military

For the past 18 months, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has been systematically remaking the top ranks of the U.S. military. This process involves dismissing or sidelining many who, in his view, rose through the ranks due to their involvement in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and replacing them with officers who align with his definition of merit. Critics argue that Hegseth is prioritizing loyalty to himself and his ideology over loyalty to the military institution itself.

Greg Jaffe, a reporter for The New York Times, delves into the specifics of this transformation, focusing on a single job that has become a case study for Hegseth's approach: the Chief of Naval Operations. Jaffe's investigation highlights the stories of Admiral Lisa Franchetti, who was initially selected for the role, and Admiral Daryl Caudle, who ultimately secured the position.

Hegseth's Vision for a Transformed Military

Secretary Hegseth's desire to transform the senior ranks of the U.S. military was well-established even before he officially took office. Jaffe explains that Hegseth openly spoke about removing senior military officers, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This intention became even clearer in September of last year when Hegseth delivered a significant speech at the War Department. In this address, he emphasized the need to "clean house," to remove individuals he believed had been "inserted into the military by ideologues" and "manipulated into pursuing like diversity, equity, and inclusion programs." Hegseth's rhetoric was stark, declaring "No more identity months, DEI offices." He framed his campaign as an effort to "reclaim a military that he thinks has been taken over by leftist forces." Jaffe notes that Hegseth even blamed the losses in Iraq and Afghanistan on what he perceived as the "corruption of the officer corps of the United States military." He vowed to "fix that problem," stating, "We are clearing out the debris... ending the war on warriors."

This aggressive approach quickly translated into action. Within his first month, Hegseth fired a significant number of people, including the Vice Chief of Staff. Jaffe describes this as a "pretty significant purge of some of the top ranks of the military." This initial wave of firings included figures like C.Q. Brown, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The dismissals continued, with Hegseth ultimately firing "more than a dozen generals and admirals." Beyond direct firings, Hegseth also blocked promotions for a large number of women and people of color who had earned their advancements at senior levels. Jaffe and his colleague Kate Kelly found that "upwards of 65 to 70 people" had either been fired or blocked from promotions they had earned, representing "about 10% of the entire general officer corps." Jaffe emphasizes the unprecedented nature of these actions, stating, "I cannot think of anything remotely close to this in the last 26 years."