Overview
- Gen. Randy George, the Army’s top officer, was removed Thursday after he sought to discuss the blocked promotions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to U.S. officials.
- Nine U.S. officials told NBC News that Hegseth has stalled or stopped promotions for more than a dozen senior officers across the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.
- Officials say Hegseth’s office has scrutinized officers for factors unrelated to misconduct, including race or gender, support for Covid-era mandates, work on diversity programs, or ties to former Joint Chiefs chair Mark Milley.
- Recent actions include three Marine officers whose moves were halted, four names cut from the Army’s one-star list, a Navy flag list held for weeks, and Air Force officers pulled from a slate.
- Promotion boards usually vet candidates, the president holds primary authority to block, and pulling names before White House review typically requires a stated reason, prompting warnings that trust, morale, and readiness could erode.