Hegseth targets military’s top brass for deeper cuts, unveils creation of a new command to integrate drone tech and AI in speech to troops

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday unveiled six new initiatives including the creation of a new four-star “AUTOWARCOM” command that will integrate fast-developing autonomous drone technologies and artificial intelligence and a religious affairs office.

At the top of his remarks, Hegseth confirmed reports that 20% of the most senior military ranks — general and flag officer slots — would be going away.

He said these were consequences for the 10% of these generals and admirals “who clung to the Woke Department” and treated civilian control of the military as a “suggestion.”

There are currently 841 active-duty generals and admirals, according to Defense Department data.

Pacing back and forth across the stage at the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia, Hegseth addressed 600 service members, including non-commissioned officers and junior officers, in what he called a “State of the Force” address. It was reminiscent of the speech he gave to generals a year ago at the same location.

“The number crunchers say we fired 10% of the generals and admirals across the force, and that number sounds about right,” Hegseth said. “And I know because I directed it … We’ve also reduced the overall number of general officer slots by an additional 10%. So, yes, 20% reduction across the board. The media calls that a purge; I call that accountability and long overdue.” 

The move follows a broader purge of the military’s senior ranks under Hegseth, who has fired or sidelined a string of top officers without publicly explaining the rationale. Among them was Gen. Randy George, who was removed as the Army’s top officer; Gen. CQ Brown, who was fired as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Adm. Lisa Franchetti, who was removed as chief of naval operations.

Before leaving the administration in September, then-Army Secretary Dan Driscoll repeatedly warned the White House that Hegseth’s removal of senior officers and efforts to block others from advancing were thinning the Army’s leadership ranks, according to people familiar with the situation. Driscoll told Trump the moves were leaving the service with a smaller pool of experienced officers to fill future senior commands.

Among the refrains in Hegseth’s speech were cultural issues, from ideology to religion. 

“We need students of Western civilization and the pillars of our republic, leaders who understand the faith of Jerusalem, the philosophy of Athens, the power of Rome, and the freedom of Philadelphia, circa 1776,” he said.

The secretary unveiled an Office of Religious Affairs with “a direct line to the secretary.”

Hegseth did not make clear what that office would do. 

“Our department is, you might say, putting on the full armor of God.”

Hegseth reprised themes he has raised in the past: criticizing DEI and the media as “reckless” and treasonous during a time of war. He focused on general officers who have been in combat and increasing the lethality of the U.S. military. 

Hegseth criticized American journalists disparaging their reporting as amounting to “treason.”

“A free press is, of course, important, but partisan activism that intentionally smears the troops and the historic mission that they’re undertaking is fundamentally anti-American. It’s sick. It’s a national betrayal. It’s treason,” he said.

Hegseth criticized DEI programs he said created “politically correct quotas” that resulted in troops being led by “weak weirdos.”  

Hegseth also announced the creation of AUTOWARCOM, which stands for Autonomous Warfighting Command, to integrate fast-developing autonomous drone technologies and artificial intelligence. The command will be led by a four-star general, he said.

He also announced that Elon Musk, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Anduril’s Palmer Luckey would participate in a new “Project Meridien” that would be “an effort led by America’s best minds to study the future of warfare.”

The secretary said the U.S. would build a new base in the U.S. for the first time in 40 years. He called on governors to “to step up to the plate and bring us their best sales pitch” as the Pentagon deliberates where to build the base.

Hegseth also said it would be a priority for the Pentagon to wean bases off of civilian power grids for national security purposes. 

“Every major military installation in America is going to generate its own power, independent of the civilian grid. If an adversary takes down the grid by cyber attack, by sabotage or by any means, our bases stay lit, our aircraft keep flying, our command centers never go dark,” Hegseth said.

The Army has been eyeing this issue already and is in the early stages of putting micronuclear reactors on some of its bases.

The speech comes after Hegseth’s appearance at Quantico last year, when he abruptly summoned the military’s top brass from around the world and used the address to rail against what he framed as declining standards, similarly demanding there would be “no more beardos” and “no more fat generals.”

Much of that speech was also devoted to culture-war grievances.

“No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses,” Hegseth declared last September to a room full of the military’s top leaders.

At the time, the Pentagon also directed all of its troops to watch the video of the speech.