Hegseth delayed military promotions, officials say

April 3, 2026

Summary

U.S. officials said Pete Hegseth blocked or delayed promotions for more than a dozen senior officers across the military.

Why this matters

Military promotions shape command structure and leadership across the armed forces. Officials said unusual intervention by the defense secretary could affect confidence in a process that is typically handled through service review boards and Senate confirmation.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blocked or delayed promotions for more than a dozen Black and female senior officers across the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, according to nine U.S. officials familiar with the process.

Several officials said some officers appeared to have been targeted because of their race, gender, or perceived ties to Biden administration policies or officials. Others said Hegseth also scrutinized officers for support of Covid-19 vaccine or mask mandates, involvement in diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, or associations with former Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley.

Two officials said some military and White House officials were concerned that qualified officers were being stalled because of race or gender. “There is not a single service that has been immune to this level of involvement by Hegseth,” one official said.

On Thursday, Hegseth fired Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, whose term had been expected to run through September 2027. Two additional officials said George had recently sought a meeting with Hegseth about blocked Army promotions that appeared to focus on women and Black men, but Hegseth declined to meet.

Officials said Hegseth recently blocked three Marine officers from promotions or new roles: two women and a Black man. Two officials said none were under internal investigation, and Marine leaders had recommended them.

Three officials said a Navy list for promotion to one-star admiral had remained on Hegseth’s desk for more than a month, longer than usual, and that some names could be removed. They also said he blocked promotions for several more senior Navy officers. Two officials said officers were also removed from an Air Force promotions list at Hegseth’s direction.

Five officials said Hegseth removed four names — two women and two Black officers — from an Army list of about 30 one-star promotions before it reached the Senate. They said the officers had no open investigations.

More top news

World

U.N. Security Council to vote on Hormuz force

Iran has targeted the key shipping route in response to U.S.-Israeli strikes that triggered a month-old war in the Middle East.

Full story +

The United Nations Security Council will vote Friday on a draft resolution brought by Bahrain to authorize the use of “defensive” force to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian attacks.

Iran has targeted the key shipping route in response to U.S.-Israeli strikes that triggered a month-old war in the Middle East, and disruptions threatened fuel supplies and added volatility to the global economy.
\top\

Trump sons-backed drone firm pitches Gulf sales

Asked last month about potential Powerus conflicts, Eric Trump told AP, “I am incredibly proud to invest in companies I believe in. Drones are clearly the wave of the future.”

Full story +

A drone maker backed by President Donald Trump’s two oldest sons is pitching sales to Gulf countries facing Iranian attacks and relying on the U.S. military led by their father.

Florida-based Powerus announced last month that Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. had joined the company. Co-founder Brett Velicovich told The Associated Press that Powerus was conducting demonstrations in several Gulf countries of drone interceptors designed to defend against attacks.

“Our team is doing many demos across the Middle East right now for our interceptors,” Velicovich said in a text exchange. “We have very incredible tech that can save lives.”

He declined to identify the countries or provide additional details.

The agreement with the Trump brothers could give them sizable equity stakes. Their father, as commander in chief, launched strikes with Israel against Iran more than a month ago, beginning the war that has increased demand for regional air defenses.

Richard Painter, a former chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, said the arrangement raised concerns.

“These countries are under enormous pressure to buy from the sons of the president so he will do what they want,” Painter said. “This is going to be the first family of a president to make a lot of money off war — a war he didn’t get the consent of Congress for.”

Powerus previously denied there were conflicts tied to the Trump brothers’ involvement. Velicovich said the company aimed to help the U.S. compete with Chinese and Russian drone makers.

“We are at war, my friend, we are in an arms race and America will lose if we don’t build fast,” Velicovich said. “We should be thankful anyone is trying to invest in American manufacturing now. That idea transcends politics.”

Since Trump returned to office, his oldest sons have expanded investments beyond hotels and golf courses into cryptocurrency, prediction markets, and federal contractors that make rocket parts and rare earth magnets.

Powerus, founded about a year ago by U.S. Army Special Operations veterans, makes drones for commercial uses including spreading fertilizer and fighting forest fires, and is expanding into military products. The company recently raised $60 million and hopes to secure more financing through a reverse merger with a Trump-linked Nasdaq-listed company that owns several Florida golf courses.

Powerus is also pursuing a share of $1.1 billion the Pentagon set aside to expand the U.S. manufacturing base for armed drones after the Trump administration barred such imports from China.
Business

Amazon to add 3.5% seller surcharge amid fuel spike

UPS and FedEx have announced similar surcharges, and the U.S. Postal Service is set to impose package-related surcharges on April 26.

Full story +

Amazon said it will apply a 3.5% fuel and logistics surcharge to fulfillment fees later this month as oil and energy costs rise.

The company confirmed Thursday that the change will affect about 2 million third-party sellers in the United States and Canada that use Fulfillment by Amazon services to pick, package, and ship items.

Amazon said the surcharge will add an average of 17 cents per unit for Fulfillment by Amazon, though the amount will vary by item size and dimensions.
Asia

Myanmar parliament elects Min Aung Hlaing president

A parliament official said Min Aung Hlaing received 429 of 584 votes cast in the three-candidate race.

Full story +

Myanmar’s parliament on Friday elected junta chief Min Aung Hlaing as president, parliament said, formalizing his leadership nearly five years after the military seized power in a coup.

Min Aung Hlaing, who led the 2021 coup that detained elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and dissolved her party, was elected by lawmakers from the upper and lower houses in Naypyidaw. Parliament speaker Aung Lin Dwe announced, “We hereby announce Senior General Min Aung Hlaing as president,” from the chamber.

The military presented parliament’s reopening last month as a return of power to the public. Analysts, however, said it reflected continued military control under a civilian structure.

The pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party won more than 80% of contested seats in an election that concluded in late January. Under Myanmar’s constitution, serving military officers hold unelected seats equal to a quarter of parliament.

Suu Kyi has remained detained since the February 2021 coup. Criticism of, or protest against, the election was outlawed, and voting did not take place in territory held by armed groups fighting the military in a civil war that has continued since the takeover.

The conflict and humanitarian crisis have continued after the election. Tens of thousands have been killed on all sides since the coup.

Min Aung Hlaing was due to assume the presidency this month. His two rivals, current Prime Minister Nyo Saw and Nan Ni Ni Aye, a Union Solidarity and Development Party lawmaker from Karen state, will serve as vice presidents.

During the post-coup state of emergency, Min Aung Hlaing served as commander in chief and acting president. To become president under the constitution, he was required to give up his military post.

He transferred command of the military on Monday to Ye Win Oo, a loyalist and former intelligence chief.

Myanmar’s military has ruled the country for much of its post-independence history. After a period of political opening beginning in 2011, Suu Kyi’s party won a landslide in the 2020 election over the Union Solidarity and Development Party.

Min Aung Hlaing seized power after alleging widespread voter fraud. Analysts said those claims were unfounded. With the Union Solidarity and Development Party dominant in parliament and backed by military-appointed lawmakers, the new government is expected to align closely with the armed forces.
Middle East

Kuwait plant, refinery hit amid Gulf missile attacks

Kuwait and much of the Gulf rely heavily on desalinated water. An Indian national was killed March 30 after a Kuwaiti power and desalination plant was hit. Iran denied launching that attack and blamed Israel.

Full story +

Kuwait said a power and desalination plant was hit in an Iranian attack before midday local time Friday, as Gulf countries faced continued strikes on the 35th day of the U.S. and Israel’s war on Iran. The extent of the damage was not yet known.

Hours earlier, the Mina al-Ahmadi oil refinery was targeted in early morning drone strikes, state news agency KUNA reported. KUNA said fires broke out in a “number of operational units,” but no employees were injured.

Emergency and firefighting teams were sent to the refinery, and environmental authorities were monitoring air quality, KUNA reported. Authorities denied rumors of a possible radiation leak.

Al Jazeera’s Malik Traina, reporting from Kuwait City, said this was the third time the refinery had been hit and that people across the country were on “high alert.” “It’s one of the biggest refineries in the Middle East, and it is also critical for local consumption,” he said.

In an earlier post on X, KUNA said “hostile missile and drone attacks” on Kuwait were under way. The agency reported sirens, midair explosions, and interceptions of Iranian missiles across the country.

In the United Arab Emirates, the Defense Ministry said Friday that the country was responding to a new wave of alleged Iranian missile and drone attacks. The Abu Dhabi Media Office said debris from an intercepted projectile caused a fire at the Habshan gas facility, and that “operations have been suspended while authorities respond.”

The ministry said air defenses intercepted 19 ballistic missiles and 26 drones on Thursday. UAE authorities said at least two service members were killed, and 191 people of different nationalities were injured.

Saudi Arabia said it destroyed a drone in its airspace overnight, while Bahrain sounded missile alarms three times, according to Anadolu Agency.

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported Friday that Tehran targeted an Oracle data center in Dubai in response to U.S.-Israeli strikes that injured former Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi and killed his wife on April 1. Dubai Media Office disputed the claim on X, calling it “fake news.”

Earlier this week, Amazon Web Services said two of its data centers in the UAE were “directly struck,” and a third in Bahrain was damaged by a nearby drone strike. The Associated Press reported the attacks caused localized, limited disruption to AWS servers.

Iran army spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari said in a video posted Friday by state-run Press TV that if the U.S. continued to threaten strikes on Iranian power plants, Tehran would target regional energy infrastructure and information and telecommunications companies with American shareholders.
Europe

Paris police ban Muslim gathering over security risk

Paris police barred a French Muslim gathering in Le Bourget, citing terrorist threats and possible disruption by far-right groups.

Full story +

Paris police on Thursday banned an annual gathering of French Muslims scheduled for Friday through Monday in Le Bourget, north of the capital, citing what the order called a “significant terrorist risk targeting the Muslim community.”

The Annual Gathering of the Muslims of France had been due to take place in Le Bourget from Friday until Monday.

According to the police order, there was a risk that “small far-right groups” might try to disrupt the event. It also said the gathering was taking place in a “particularly tense international and national context.”

The order cited what it described as a foiled attempt last weekend to bomb the Bank of America building in Paris, saying it highlighted the seriousness of the threat inside France.

French prosecutors said the attempted attack might have been linked to a pro-Iran group, as security concerns rise over the war in the Middle East.

Police also cited a polarized political debate during municipal elections last month.

The decision came as France’s Interior Ministry prepared a draft law aimed at addressing the risk of radical Islamist elements infiltrating Muslim groups.

The ministry said the bill was due to be presented to President Emmanuel Macron’s Cabinet at the end of April, confirming a report by Le Parisien newspaper.
Latin America

Cuba to release 2,010 prisoners amid U.S. pressure

Cuba said Cubans and foreigners, women, older adults, and young people would be released.

Full story +

Cuba said Thursday it would release 2,010 prisoners in what it described as a “humanitarian gesture” tied to Holy Week.

The announcement did not mention tensions with the United States. Authorities did not say when the releases would begin, under what conditions they would occur, or what crimes the prisoners had been accused of.

Officials also did not say whether any of those to be freed were among protesters convicted and sentenced on charges including terrorism, contempt, or public disorder.

Cuba’s government denied holding political prisoners, but the advocacy group Prisoners Defended said 1,214 people were imprisoned for political reasons in Cuba as of February.

Cuban authorities said the decision “was based on a careful analysis of the characteristics of the crimes committed by those sanctioned, their good behavior in prison, having served a significant portion of their sentence, and their health status,” according to a statement published in state media.

The announcement came as the Trump administration increased pressure on Cuba’s government, including oil restrictions that have contributed to blackouts on the island.

In January last year, Cuba released 553 prisoners as part of talks with the Vatican, a day after the Biden administration announced its intent to remove Cuba from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Last month, Cuba released 51 people from prison in what officials said reflected goodwill and close relations with the Vatican.

The government said Thursday’s announcement was its fifth prisoner release since 2011 and that it had freed more than 11,000 people.
Middle East

Airstrikes hit Iran bridge near Tehran, Trump says

Iran responded by threatening strikes on regional bridges, including in Israel. Iranian statements also referenced possible targets in Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, and Iraq.

Full story +

A major bridge west of Tehran was struck Friday in what Iran said were U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, according to Iranian state television and President Donald Trump.

Iranian state TV said the B1 bridge in Alborz province, a key link between Tehran and Karaj, was hit in two waves about an hour apart. It said the first strike caused two civilian casualties and that the second came as emergency crews were at the scene. That claim could not be independently confirmed.

Images posted on social media showed an apparent breach in the roadway. Trump later said in a Truth Social post that the United States attacked the bridge and threatened further strikes unless Iran agreed to a peace treaty.

“The biggest bridge in Iran comes tumbling down, never to be used again — Much more to follow!,” Trump wrote. “IT IS TIME FOR IRAN TO MAKE A DEAL BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE, AND THERE IS NOTHING LEFT OF WHAT STILL COULD BECOME A GREAT COUNTRY!”

State TV earlier referred to the “American-Zionist enemy” and said the bridge in Karaj had been targeted again. The New York Times reported the bridge was part of a “planned military supply route for sustaining Iran’s ballistic missile and attack drone force.” Trump later said three bridges were struck.

The strike came a day after Trump threatened to bomb Iran “back to the Stone Ages” and after earlier remarks in which he said the United States could “completely obliterate” Iranian electrical-generation plants and oil wells.

Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, said the campaign against Iran was making progress. “It is my operational assessment that we are making undeniable progress,” Cooper said. “We don’t see their navy sailing. We don’t see their aircraft flying, and their air and missile defense systems have largely been destroyed.”
Military & National Security

Hegseth delayed military promotions, officials say

Defense secretaries typically do not remove names from promotion lists, according to three officials familiar with the process. A retired senior military officer said unexplained intervention could weaken confidence in a process that service members view as merit-based.

Full story +

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blocked or delayed promotions for more than a dozen Black and female senior officers across the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, according to nine U.S. officials familiar with the process.

Several officials said some officers appeared to have been targeted because of their race, gender, or perceived ties to Biden administration policies or officials. Others said Hegseth also scrutinized officers for support of Covid-19 vaccine or mask mandates, involvement in diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, or associations with former Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley.

Two officials said some military and White House officials were concerned that qualified officers were being stalled because of race or gender. “There is not a single service that has been immune to this level of involvement by Hegseth,” one official said.

On Thursday, Hegseth fired Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, whose term had been expected to run through September 2027. Two additional officials said George had recently sought a meeting with Hegseth about blocked Army promotions that appeared to focus on women and Black men, but Hegseth declined to meet.

Officials said Hegseth recently blocked three Marine officers from promotions or new roles: two women and a Black man. Two officials said none were under internal investigation, and Marine leaders had recommended them.

Three officials said a Navy list for promotion to one-star admiral had remained on Hegseth’s desk for more than a month, longer than usual, and that some names could be removed. They also said he blocked promotions for several more senior Navy officers. Two officials said officers were also removed from an Air Force promotions list at Hegseth’s direction.

Five officials said Hegseth removed four names — two women and two Black officers — from an Army list of about 30 one-star promotions before it reached the Senate. They said the officers had no open investigations.
Military & National Security

Hegseth removes Army chief, 2 other senior officers

The Pentagon has not publicly explained the moves.

Full story +

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth removed the Army’s top general and two other senior officers as U.S. combat operations in Iran continued, according to Pentagon officials and multiple news reports.

The Pentagon said Gen. Randy A. George, the Army’s 41st chief of staff, would retire immediately. The department also said the changes included Gen. David Hodne, head of Army Training and Doctrine Command, and Maj. Gen. William Green Jr., the Army’s chief of chaplains.

Sean Parnell, assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, said in a statement posted on X that George “will be retiring from his position as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army effective immediately,” adding that the department is “grateful for General George’s decades of service.”

According to multiple reports, Gen. Christopher C. LaNeve, the Army’s vice chief of staff, was expected to serve as acting chief of staff.

George, a four-star general and career infantry officer, had served as Army chief of staff since September 2023 after being nominated by then-President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate. He enlisted in 1982, graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1988, and served in the Gulf War, Iraq War, and war in Afghanistan.

Before becoming chief of staff, George served as vice chief of staff of the Army and as senior military assistant to the secretary of defense. As Army chief, he led the Army Transformation Initiative, a restructuring and modernization effort focused on large-scale combat operations.

Hodne, a former Army Ranger, led Training and Doctrine Command, which oversees training, force structure, and war planning. Green oversaw religious support across the Army and advised senior leaders on troop welfare and morale. He became chief of chaplains in 2023 and was recently promoted to major general.

The removals came as U.S. forces continued strikes across Iran and as fighting and pressure on shipping lanes near the Strait of Hormuz increased. The Pentagon did not say how the leadership changes could affect operations, planning, or coordination with allies.