Pete Hegseth, the newly appointed defense secretary for US President Donald Trump, is requesting a” several names” of the top military public from congressional Republicans.
Chief of Naval Operations Lisa Franchetti is one of the two women to get promoted to a four-star captain in the history of the Navy, according to a report from Fox News.
” She is one of the people on the list”, an established told Fox.
According to leading Democrats on the armed services committee, they have heard about the record, but had not seen it themselves. The record has not been finalsed, nevertheless, it has been conveyed to Republican members of Congress, not Democrats.
Senate Armed Service Committee Chairman Roger Wicker told Fox,” I perhaps have heard a story, but I’m not going to speculate on stories.”
” No one has approached me about such a list other than people asking me questions”, he added.
Hegseth was scheduled to visit Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to give a media exam, but the journey was postponed until Tuesday.
Some leaders view the delay as another indication that layoffs may be on the horizon because they are frequently announced in Washington on Friday.
During her tenure, Franchetti was in charge of US Naval Forces Korea and held the positions of command of two plane ship strike teams in the Pacific. She likewise held important positions on the Joint Staff, including as the director for plan, ideas, and policy and the deputy chief of naval activities for the development of warfighting. As head of the Navy’s 6th Fleet, Franchetti led the Navy’s reaction to Syrian President Bashar al Assad’s use of molecular arms.
Admiral Michael Gilday, past Chief of Naval Operations, praised Franchetti upon her election by then-President Joe Biden in July 2023, calling her a “warfighter with battle knowledge”, an “operational head”, and an “innovator”. He also highlighted her capabilities as a team builder, leader, and a bible to personal and professional endurance, noting her essence of the American dream and the values of service and sacrifice.
However, Hegseth, known for his outspoken opinions, has officially claimed that women may not offer in combat roles.
Before, during his presence on the Shawn Ryan Show radio, he argued that women in combat “hasn’t made us more efficient, hasn’t made us more destructive, and has made fighting more difficult”. He later clarified his remarks, explaining they had been “misconstrued”, and reaffirmed his support for women in the defense, acknowledging that some of the best soldiers are people.
In another growth, Joint Chiefs Chairman CQ Brown is rumored to be on the record for future changes. Hegseth responded,” I look forward to working with him,” with Brown standing next to him when asked whether he would fire Brown on his first time in office.
