The Pentagon rejected Senator Mark Kelly’s accusation that War Secretary Pete Hegseth was targeting women and Black officers by removing names from a senior military promotion list. The dispute matters because it raises concerns over whether political appointees are overriding the military’s established merit-based promotion process.

Four officers were reportedly removed after a promotion board had approved them, despite no allegations of misconduct or ongoing investigations. Kelly and other Democrats said the reported removals appeared discriminatory, while the Pentagon said promotions are determined by merit; Army Secretary Dan Driscoll reportedly initially resisted the changes, and the White House was reviewing the revised list before its submission to the Senate.