Report claims Pete Hegseth blocked promotions of Black and female officers

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has found himself in the middle of a political controversy after a report claimed that he is attempting to block the military promotion of four officers–two women and two Black men–to become one-star generals. The New York Times reported that Hegseth has been allegedly pressuring Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll for several months to remove names from the list to get promotions. However, Driscoll refused to do so as he cited the years of service the officers had given to the country, as per the report. Hegseth, however, reportedly removed the four officers' names himself.

The Pentagon has yet to officially make any statements regarding Hegseth's alleged action, but the department's chief spokesman, Sean Parnell, has strongly denied the claim. "Under Secretary Hegseth, military promotions are given to those who have earned them. Meritocracy, which reigns in this Department, is apolitical and unbiased," he was quoted by The Guardian as saying. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has also praised the War Secretary for "doing a tremendous job restoring meritocracy throughout the ranks at the Pentagon, as President Trump directed him to do."

The NYT report claimed that, after conducting 11 interviews with current and former military and administration officials who wished to remain anonymous, they discovered that Hegseth's Chief of Staff, Ricky Buria, told Driscoll that President Trump did not want to stand next to a Black, female officer at military events. As per the report, Driscoll did not expect to hear this and said, "The president is not a racist or sexist." Meanwhile, the promotion list is currently under review at the White House and will later be sent to the Senate for final approval. However, if the claims in the report hold, the situation may escalate into a new political war over the Trump administration's stance on diversity and inclusion within the federal government.

Buria and Hegseth's office has strongly denied the report. "Whoever placed this made-up story is clearly trying to sow division among our ranks in the department and the administration," Buria said, as per a report by The Guardian. "It's not going to work, and it will never work when this department is led by clear-eyed, mission-driven leaders unfazed by fake Washington gossip."