Hegseth Official Told Military Officer President Doesn’t ‘Want to Stand Next to a Black Female Officer’ in Promotions Rift: Report

AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth struck the names of two Black and two female officers from a military promotions list, sparking bias concerns, according to a new report on Friday.

The New York Times published a lengthy report, citing 11 current and former military administration officials, that suggested Hegseth’s chief of staff told a military leader that President Donald Trump doesn’t “want to stand next to a Black female officer at military events.”

The promotions list in question is for officers who could be jumping to a one-star general position. About three dozen names are reportedly on the list, but Hegseth pushed to remove four, two of whom are Black officers. The other two are women.

Hegseth reportedly struck two of the four names from the list over past statements and performance. One, a Black armor officer, wrote a paper more than a decade prior on why Black service members historically have taken support roles in the military over frontline positions. Another, a female logistics officer, is believed to have been targeted over her involvement in the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, which led to the deaths of 13 U.S. service members. Hegseth called the operation a disaster.

Some inside the military have reportedly been questioning whether Hegseth even has the legal authority to strike names from promotion lists.

Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll had refused Hegseth’s requests, according to the report, and had a meeting with Hegseth’s chief of staff, during which a shocking statement was allegedly made.

Ricky Buria, Hegseth’s chief of staff, and Driscoll reportedly had a heated exchange last summer when Buria pushed Driscoll on a decision to promote Maj. Gen. Antoinette R. Gant to take charge of the Military District of Washington.

“Mr. Buria told Mr. Driscoll that President Trump would not want to stand next to a Black female officer at military events, the officials said,” according to the Times report.

Gant, however, was ultimately put in the position and recently promoted to a two-star.

“The president is not a racist or sexist,” Driscoll reportedly told Buria.

Buria denied the heated interaction, calling it “completely false.”

“Whoever placed this made-up story is clearly trying to sow division among our ranks in the department and the administration,” he said. “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.”

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!