Getting a promotion at the Pentagon seems to be getting harder under Hegseth

NPR | By Mary Louise Kelly,

Kat Lonsdorf, Tom Bowman

Published June 11, 2026 at 4:15 PM EDT

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has blocked or delayed the promotions of several officers across the military branches, and a disproportionate number of those officers are women and people of color. Why? And how is Congress responding?

Tags

NPR News

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Mary Louise Kelly

Mary Louise Kelly is a co-host of All Things Considered, NPR's award-winning afternoon newsmagazine.

Kat Lonsdorf

Tom Bowman

Tom Bowman is a NPR National Desk reporter covering the Pentagon. He is also a co-host of NPR's Taking Cover podcast.