Hegseth blocked 2 Black and 2 female soldiers from promotions

NPR | By Quil Lawrence

Published March 27, 2026 at 5:01 PM EDT

Pete Hegseth has reportedly blocked the military promotion of six officers: all women or Black men, to become one-star generals.

Quil Lawrence

Quil Lawrence is a New York-based correspondent for NPR News, covering veterans' issues nationwide. He won a Robert F. Kennedy Award for his coverage of American veterans and a Gracie Award for coverage of female combat veterans. In 2019 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America honored Quil with its IAVA Salutes Award for Leadership in Journalism.

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