According to The New York Times, Pete Hegseth pressured Army leadership for months to remove two women and two Black officers from a promotion list, despite their combat experience in Afghanistan and exemplary service. When Dan Driscoll refused to comply, Hegseth reportedly crossed out their names himself.
Hegseth justified his actions as part of an effort to “restore the army” after what he described as its takeover by “the left,” and to reestablish meritocracy in line with directives from Donald Trump. He appointed Anthony Tata to oversee personnel decisions; Tata is known for previous Islamophobic statements. His advisers have also criticized the presence of Black officers alongside the president at official events.
At present, nearly all senior military leadership in the United States consists of white men. The White House has officially supported Hegseth’s actions, describing them as a “purge” of the Pentagon. However, the legality of unilaterally removing officers from promotion lists remains unclear. The updated list must now be approved by the Senate.
