Hegseth blocks promotions of Black and female Army officers, sparking legal and congressional backlash

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has unilaterally removed four Army officers—two Black men and two women—from an approved promotion list, blocking their advancement to brigadier general and igniting a firestorm of criticism from lawmakers and veterans' advocates, as reported by the New York Times.

The move defies longstanding Pentagon protocol, which holds that once a service branch promotion board approves a list, the defense secretary stays out of it. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll had reportedly resisted Hegseth's pressure for months, citing the officers' exemplary decades-long service records, before Hegseth bypassed him entirely. The legal authority for such a unilateral action remains in question.

Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called the action "outrageous" and potentially illegal, warning that denying promotions based on race or gender would undermine the merit-based foundation of military service. Leaders of the Democratic Women's Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus joined in condemnation, as did the veterans' organization Common Defense.

The controversy is emblematic of Hegseth's broader campaign to reverse diversity-focused policies at the Pentagon. Since taking office, he has fired or sidelined more than two dozen generals and admirals. Today, all top Joint Chiefs positions and nine of ten combatant commands are held by white men.

Both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees are now investigating the matter.