Hegseth blocks female, black officer’s promotion:Pushes close aide instead, repeatedly passed over by Pentagon

The Defense Secretary of the US, Pete Hegseth, has blocked the promotion of eight Navy captains to one-star admirals. The blocked officers include two female and two Black officers, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials familiar with the matter. Additionally, he is trying to promote at least one member of his inner circle who has been passed over for promotion several times. The same report also claimed that Hegseth is trying to prevent several one-star admirals from pinning on their second stars. Why is this problematic? This has triggered tensions among the Navy leadership, who have already been awaiting their promotion for several months. Additionally, his promotion list will likely fuel concerns within the Pentagon and in Congress. These concerns will be regarding Hegseth trying to appoint or promote officers who would agree with his policies and would be loyal to him. All while bypassing other deserving officers in line.
Moreover, the news that Hegseth blocked the promotion of eight Navy captains is particularly notable because the Pentagon’s latest set of 22 appointments to one-star admiral includes no women. This is a continuing year-long trend of women in the service not advancing to flag officer ranks. The last time the Navy promoted a woman from captain to rear admiral was in June 2025, according to an analysis by Task and Purpose, a military-focused publication. Contentions over the matter Some military officials have privately questioned whether Hegseth is targeting officers based on race, gender, or loyalty. Notably, this comes at a time when the US is already embroiled in the West Asia conflict and has been trying to forge a soft alliance with China over the same issue. Pentagon’s defence Hegseth has defended the approach, noting that civilian leaders are granted the authority to choose which admirals or generals advise them on military matters. Hegseth also claims that the previous administration had promoted certain officers undeservedly across the military and passed over other qualified candidates to fulfill diversity quotas, a claim that was made, citing some current and former officials. However, the Biden administration officials have said their military promotions were based on merit and not quotas. In a statement given to the press, Sean Parnell, the Chief Pentagon Spokesperson, said, “Military promotions are given to those who have earned them. The Department will never consider the color of a servicemember’s skin or their gender as a factor in promotions.” According to a report by the NYT, since stepping into the role of Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth has blocked or fired at least two dozen admirals and generals. Why is the promotion important? The promotion from captain to rear admiral is one of the most competitive in the Navy. The officers on the original list were selected by a board of admirals, which is governed by the service secretaries. These officials typically prohibit decisions based on race, sex, and other factors. It isn’t clear if Hegseth recommended that these names of the naval officers be removed or if he stripped them unilaterally. By law, such a recommendation must be submitted to the US President in writing.