Retired Maj. Gen. Randy Manner says Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's plan to cut about 20% of generals' and admirals' posts amounts to an ideological purge that could endanger U.S. security. Manner told CNN that while reducing an overly top-heavy leadership can be sensible, Hegseth's actions appear targeted at officers who disagree with him. Hegseth defended the move as "accountability" in a Quantico address, using blunt and offensive language that has drawn criticism.
Retired Maj. Gen. Says Hegseth Is 'Playing Russian Roulette' With Proposed 20% Cut To Senior Military Ranks
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivers his "State of the Force" address at Marine Corps Base Quantico on Wednesday. via Associated Press
Retired Maj. Gen. Randy Manner warned that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is taking a dangerous course by moving to eliminate roughly 20% of positions reserved for generals and admirals in the Army, Navy and Air Force as part of a campaign to remove what he calls "woke" influence from the services.
Speaking Wednesday on CNN's "The Lead," Manner described Hegseth's plan as less a considered reform than an ideological purge. He said a careful, deliberate reorganization could make sense, but accused the secretary of removing officers who disagree with him rather than pursuing thoughtful restructuring.
"A thoughtful restructuring would be very smart. He's not doing that. He, literally, is purging people who don't agree with him," Manner said. "This incompetent secretary of defense is actually dealing not with the profitability of a corporation but is instead playing Russian roulette with the security of the United States. This is extremely dangerous."
Manner emphasized the difference between trimming an overly top-heavy leadership and what he called Hegseth's ideological targeting. "The concept of reducing the number of admirals and generals is a good one," he said. "The problem is that the secretary of defense has already proven that he's trying to purge the military."
Hegseth defended the personnel reductions in a "State of the Force" address at Marine Corps Base Quantico, framing the changes as overdue accountability rather than a purge. He dismissed media characterizations and contrasted his vision of the force with what he described as "ideological" elements.
"The media calls that a purge," Hegseth said. "I call it accountability and long overdue. The ideological clowns are out. The patriotic cowboys are in."
In the same speech, Hegseth used blunt, coarse language to summarize who he said would be removed, language that many observers called offensive. His remarks sparked immediate criticism from military veterans and others who said the rhetoric undermines cohesion and civilian control of the armed forces.
This debate highlights competing views on how best to reform senior leadership in the U.S. military: advocates for efficiency and flatter structures argue for targeted, evidence-based personnel reforms, while critics warn that politically driven cuts risk damaging readiness and morale.
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