U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the military to cut 20% of its four-star generals and flag officers, part of a broader Trump administration effort to streamline defense leadership and reduce what it calls “unnecessary bureaucratic layers.”
In a memo issued Monday, Hegseth also ordered the National Guard to reduce its top leadership positions by the same percentage, while mandating an additional 10% reduction across all general and flag officers — encompassing one-star ranks and above across all service branches.
“These cuts will remove redundant force structure to optimize and streamline leadership,” Hegseth wrote in the directive.
There are currently around 800 general and flag officers across the U.S. military, including 44 four-star positions. The reduction follows a series of high-profile firings already carried out under Hegseth’s tenure, including the dismissal of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown Jr.. The defense secretary described those moves as aligning military leadership with the Trump administration’s national security vision.
The Pentagon’s leadership overhaul is part of a wider campaign to cut federal spending, championed by both President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. The campaign aims to reduce personnel and operational costs across government agencies, with the Department of Defense among its primary targets.
Last week, Hegseth unveiled a sweeping transformation plan for the U.S. Army, which includes merging or closing headquarters, eliminating outdated vehicles and aircraft, and cutting up to 1,000 Pentagon staff positions, redirecting resources to operational units.
Despite these austerity measures, the Army confirmed plans to proceed with a military parade on Trump’s birthday in June, coinciding with the Army’s 250th anniversary. The celebration is expected to cost tens of millions of dollars, drawing scrutiny amid ongoing calls for fiscal restraint.
Hegseth defended the leadership cuts as necessary to build a “leaner, more lethal force” capable of responding swiftly to emerging threats without being bogged down by top-heavy command structures.
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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei has declared a “decisive victory” over the U.S. and Israel, signalling a “new phase” in Tehran’s control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Uzbekistan is advancing plans to reduce the state’s role in the economy while introducing a VAT refund system for foreign visitors, as part of broader efforts to attract investment and boost tourism.
The European Union and Washington are nearing an agreement to coordinate the production and security of critical minerals, Bloomberg News reported on Friday (10 April).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has given an instruction for Israel to begin peace talks with Lebanon that would also include the disarming of Hezbollah.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to continue dialogue and avoid steps that could worsen tensions after China-hosted talks in Urumqi, with Kabul and Beijing saying the meetings focused on easing differences and improving relations.
Amid fragile calm, António Guterres urged constructive U.S.- Iran talks, while Pope Leo XIV warned violence is spreading. Lebanon's President said an Israeli strike killed 13 security personnel in Nabatieh.
Memorial events were held in Tehran’s main squares on Wednesday (8 April) to mark the 40th day since the killing of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died during U.S.-Israeli attacks on 28 February.
North Korea has tested a new cluster-bomb warhead mounted on a tactical ballistic missile, alongside advanced electromagnetic and infrastructure-targeting weapons, in a significant escalation of its military capabilities.
A charity co-founded by Prince Harry in honour of his late mother, Princess Diana, is suing him for libel at the High Court in London, according to a court record published on Friday (10 April).
The European Union and Washington are nearing an agreement to coordinate the production and security of critical minerals, Bloomberg News reported on Friday (10 April).
In a forceful rebuke to Washington’s foreign policy in the Americas, a senior Russian diplomat has declared that Moscow will never abandon Cuba, pledging ongoing support to help the Communist-run island overcome a severe energy crisis linked to the United States embargo.
Hungary votes on Sunday in a parliamentary election that could loosen Viktor Orbán’s 16-year hold on power. His ruling Fidesz faces a strong challenge from Péter Magyar’s Tisza party, which has led some polls, though many voters remain undecided.
While a fragile ceasefire in the Iran war may deliver badly needed relief to economies battered by the world’s worst-ever energy crisis, hopes it will quickly restore normal oil and gas flows from the Middle East are almost certainly misplaced.
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