*Donald Trump’s “Secretary of War,” Pete Hegseth, has a vision for the Pentagon. It involves “meritocracy.” It involves purging “woke” leaders. And, apparently, it involves making sure the people getting promoted look a whole lot like Pete Hegseth.
According to a bombshell report from the New York Times, the defense secretary is attempting to block the military promotion of four officers—two women and two Black men—to become one-star generals. The remaining list of about three dozen officers? Mostly white men. A few women and Black officers made the cut, but apparently, four of them didn’t pass the Hegseth smell test.
The Manual vs. The Man
Here’s how this is supposed to work: the defense secretary approves or rejects the entire promotion list. That’s the policy. Keeps things clean. Keeps the officer corps from turning into a political punching bag.
Hegseth apparently didn’t get that memo.
According to the Times, Hegseth asked army leaders—including Secretary Dan Driscoll—to remove the four officers’ names. Driscoll reportedly refused, citing their “decades-long, exemplary records.” So Hegseth took matters into his own hands and removed them himself.
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Whether he actually has the authority to do that is… unclear. But since when has that stopped anyone?
Meritocracy: A Definition
Sean Parnell, the chief Pentagon spokesperson, called the Times reporting “full of fake news.” In an email to the Guardian, he offered this clarification:
“Under Secretary Hegseth, military promotions are given to those who have earned them. Meritocracy, which reigns in this Department, is apolitical and unbiased.”
Ricky Buria, Hegseth’s chief of staff, also called the report “completely false.”
So just to be clear: a promotion list that was mostly white men suddenly became slightly more white and male after Hegseth personally removed four non-white, non-male names. And that’s… meritocracy? Apolitical? Unbiased?
The math isn’t mathing.
Hegseth’s Greatest Hits
This isn’t Hegseth’s first rodeo with purging the Pentagon of anyone who doesn’t fit his ideal. Last year, he:
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Reassigned Vice Admiral Yvette Davids, the first woman to lead the Naval Academy
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Dismissed Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield as the US military representative to NATO
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Ousted Admiral Linda Fagan as chief of naval operations
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Pledged to remove female officers from combat
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Banned trans people from serving
In September, he promised promotions would no longer be based on “immutable characteristics or quotas.” By November, he was complaining about “historic so-called firsts” getting promoted.
So, the pattern is clear: if you’re a woman, if you’re Black, if you’re the first person who looks like you to achieve something—maybe don’t hold your breath for a promotion.
The Maj Gen Gant Incident
This isn’t even the first time this particular friction has surfaced. Last summer, Major General Antoinette R. Gant was selected to command the Military District of Washington. According to the Times, Buria told Driscoll that Trump “would not want to stand next to a Black female officer” at military events.
Driscoll pushed back, insisting that “the president is not a racist or sexist.” Buria denied the account entirely.
One thing is certain: the administration’s “meritocracy” keeps producing the same demographic outcomes. Over and over. Almost like it’s by design.
‘A Frontal Assault’
In his 2024 book, “The War on Warriors,” Hegseth laid out his mission:
“The Left captured the military quickly, and we must reclaim it at a faster pace. We must wage a frontal assault. A swift counterattack in broad daylight.”
Turns out “reclaiming” the military looks a lot like systematically sidelining anyone who isn’t a white man.
Bottom Line
Hegseth’s Pentagon says promotions are based on merit. But when women and Black officers with “decades-long, exemplary records” get quietly removed from promotion lists, you have to wonder: what exactly does “merit” mean around here?
The White House is reviewing the list now. Then it heads to the Senate. Whether those four officers get their stars—or whether Hegseth gets to keep playing gatekeeper—remains to be seen.
But one thing’s for sure: if “meritocracy” keeps looking this uniform, maybe it’s time to admit it’s not about merit at all.
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MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Former CNN Stars Mock Pete Hegseth’s Competence, Highlighting Signalgate Scandal and its Impact on DOD’s Merit Claims | WATCH
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