Secret files allegedly used to block Navy promotions

Pentagon officials under Pete Hegseth's office purportedly compiled secret files containing internet searches and personal information about Navy admirals to prevent their promotions, even after official boards had approved them. The documents reportedly focused on officers' public statements regarding diversity, COVID policies, and Afghanistan matters, and were allegedly maintained outside standard Pentagon record-keeping systems.

If substantiated, this action could represent improper interference with the officer promotion process and raise serious concerns about transparency in personnel decisions. Navy officers and veterans may now question whether their public positions or service records could become grounds for blocking career advancement, creating uncertainty around the criteria governing professional advancement in the military.