Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth implied Friday that the Pentagon may look at reducing the DOD workforce, Defense News reported.

At a town hall with DOD personnel, Hegseth was asked about the potential for job cuts.

“There are thousands of additional… positions [across DOD] that have been created over the last 20 years that don’t necessarily translate to battlefield success,” Hegseth responded. “[There are] additional staff, additional layers of bureaucracy [and] additional flag officer positions that we would be remiss if we did not review,” he said.

Hegseth said that operating under a tight budget and continuing resolutions means the Pentagon needs to take a fresh look at its hierarchy.

“We won World War II with seven four-star generals,” Hegseth said. “Today we have 44. Do all of those directly contribute to warfighting success? Maybe they do. I don’t know, but it’s worth reviewing to make sure they do.”

Notes Retention Uptick

Hegseth said the military services’ recent successes in recruitment show that young people want to serve and embrace the U.S.’s military mission.

“I think we’ve seen an enthusiasm and excitement from young men and women who want to join the military actively because they are interested in being a part of the finest fighting force the world has to offer,” Hegseth said, according to a DOD story about the town hall.

DOD photo by Air Force Senior Airman Madelyn Keech