The Department of War (DOW) responded to accusations from Sen. Mark Kelly on Thursday. Kelly had claimed that War Secretary Pete Hegseth discriminated against women and Black military officers. In a statement provided to Fox News Digital, the department insisted that promotions depend on merit.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell emphasized that service members’ identities do not influence promotion decisions. Parnell noted, “Military promotions go to those who earn them. The Department does not consider race or gender in these decisions.”
Sen. Kelly accused Hegseth of consistently firing women and Black officers because of their identities. He cited these actions during an interview with Katie Couric. Kelly, a retired Navy captain, alleged that former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. CQ Brown was dismissed due to his race. Kelly also accused Hegseth of hindering promotions for other minority officers.
Fox News Digital reported that Kelly pointed to Adm. Lisa Franchetti’s removal. Franchetti was the first woman chief of naval operations. Kelly expressed concern about a loss of experienced leadership within the military. He warned that potential mid-career departures could result from perceived discrimination.
Acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez rejected accusations of discrimination. He affirmed that merit-based promotions reflect departmental values.
In February 2025, President Trump replaced Brown with retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Caine. The Pentagon planned a broader leadership change involving several top officers. Questions arose about the fairness towards women and minority officers, allegations which the Pentagon denied. The department did not share specific reasons for these leadership changes.
Secretary Hegseth advocated performance as the primary criterion for promotions. He described identity-based promotions as harmful during a speech at Marine Corps Base Quantico.
This report includes contributions by Fox News Digital’s Michael Lee. CJ Womack, the article’s editor, joined Fox News Digital in 2026, focusing on political and cultural news analysis. Womack graduated in 2025 with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Journalism.
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