WASHINGTON, D.C.: This week, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a 20 percent cut in the number of four-star generals and admirals, continuing significant changes at the Pentagon under President Donald Trump's second term.

Hegseth, who formerly worked for Fox News, has often stated that there are too many top-ranking military leaders.

He has moved quickly to overhaul the Defense Department, firing several top officers as part of Trump's national security plan. He also aims to eliminate programs that promote diversity, claiming they are unfair to certain groups.

A memo first reported by Reuters indicates that the cuts will also apply to the National Guard and other senior officers across all military branches. In a video posted on X, Hegseth stated, "More generals and admirals do not lead to more success." He emphasized that the goal is to improve readiness, not punish leaders, and noted that he collaborated with the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the plan.

At his confirmation hearing, Hegseth said having large military staffs often leads to less success in battle. At that time, there were 44 four-star positions. Since then, he has removed several top leaders, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the top Navy admiral, and the head of the National Security Agency.

Senator Jack Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island, questioned the plan and said firing top officers without good reason could hurt the military. "These decisions should be based on facts, not just numbers," he said.

Hegseth said the cuts would be made quickly but carefully. It is not yet clear which positions will be eliminated, but he's reviewing the military's global structure. He may combine specific commands to reduce leadership roles—for example, merging U.S. African Command with U.S. European Command or U.S. Southern Command with U.S. Northern Command.

The changes at the Pentagon haven't only affected military officers. Three top civilian officials were also recently fired, including Dan Caldwell, one of Hegseth's closest advisors, who was removed over a leak investigation—though he denies any involvement. Hegseth's deputy chief of staff, Darin Selnick, was also dismissed.