Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon fired 10% of the military’s generals and admirals and reduced the overall number of general officer positions by an additional 10%, describing the two measures as a “20% reduction across the board.” He outlined the changes during his State of the Force address Wednesday at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.

“The media calls that a purge. I call it accountability and long overdue…and frankly, the bare minimum,” Hegseth said. His account separated the dismissal of serving officers from reductions in senior officer positions, some of which will be downgraded to colonel or Navy captain level rather than eliminated.

Beyond Project Meridian and the new Autonomous Warfare Command, Hegseth announced Fortress America, an effort to give military installations independent power and bring critical supply chains onshore. He also invited states to propose sites for a new base housing 15,000 to 25,000 troops; no location has been chosen. America’s Corps of Cadets will expand officer commissioning pathways to six additional partner universities, while a new Office of Religious Affairs will report directly to the secretary’s office.