Meanwhile the legality of Hegseth's blocking and removal of high ranking military personnel is questioned. Fresh questions are swirling around Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth after a legal expert claimed his decision to block senior military promotions may be driven by political loyalty rather than merit, raising concerns about the future independence of the US armed forces. The allegations, made by veteran federal trial attorney Sabrina Haake, argue the move goes beyond accusations of discrimination and instead reflects an effort to reshape the military's leadership around ideological allegiance. Promotion Freeze Sparks Legal Firestorm Writing in her Substack newsletter, Haake claimed Hegseth blocked the promotions of officers selected to become one-star generals and admirals despite exemplary service records. She argues federal law largely places responsibility for senior military promotions with military promotion boards and service secretaries, not the Secretary of Defense. Pentagon regulations, she added, only permit officers to be removed from promotion lists under limited circumstances, such as professional or disciplinary failings. Claims Of Ideological Screening Haake believes the real issue is not simply that women and minority officers have reportedly been disproportionately affected. Instead, she argues the promotion freeze is intended to remove officers viewed as politically incompatible with President Donald Trump's defence agenda. She points to Hegseth's repeated public comments stressing that military leaders ultimately serve at the pleasure of the president, arguing this reflects an effort to build a command structure based on loyalty rather than professional judgement. Legal expert exposes darker motive for Hegseth military move
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