Pete Hegseth intervenes in U.S. military promotions for senior officers

On 2026-04-03, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly took steps to block or delay promotions for more than a dozen Black and female senior officers across the military. According to U.S. officials cited by NBC News, the actions affected officers in all four branches and were seen by some as tied to race, gender, or perceived affiliation with Biden administration policies. The reported action occurred in Washington, DC.