The Department of War (DOW) has responded to accusations made by Sen. Mark Kelly regarding alleged discrimination in military promotions. Kelly accused War Secretary Pete Hegseth of targeting women and Black officers due to their identities.

The department released a statement through Fox News Digital, clarifying that military promotions are based on merit. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell emphasized that identity factors like race and gender do not influence promotion decisions.

“As we’ve said before, military promotions are given to those who have earned them. The Department will never consider the color of a service member’s skin or their gender as a factor in promotions,” Parnell stated.

During an interview, Kelly, a retired Navy captain and member of the Armed Services Committee, maintained that Hegseth unfairly dismissed officers like Gen. CQ Brown and Adm. Lisa Franchetti due to their race and gender. He argued that such practices would lead to experienced leaders leaving the military.

Acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez also rejected claims of discrimination, stating that merit-based promotions are crucial and that decisions based solely on identity are unfair.

President Donald Trump dismissed Brown in 2025, replacing him with retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine. Hegseth also looked for replacements for key positions, further fueling discussions about the influence of identity in these changes.

In a speech at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, Hegseth emphasized the importance of merit, criticizing identity-based promotions as a form of poor leadership.