Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly blocked more armed services promotions in a move that notably affected Black and female Navy officers.

In recent months, Hegseth has faced scrutiny for major shake-ups within the Defense Department. The secretary has fired multiple high-ranking officials amid the ongoing war in Iran, and has also intervened in countless promotions across all the branches of the U.S. armed forces. In an April report from NBC News, nine sources claimed that Hegseth blocked the promotions based on race, gender, and possible ties to the administration of former President Joe Biden.

On Monday, The New York Times published a report revealing that a new round of promotions had been blocked by the secretary. According to the report, most of the officers affected were Black or female.

The report continued:

The net result of Mr. Hegseth’s intervention is a slate of 22 nominees to be one-star admirals that bears little resemblance to the broader force these officers will help lead.

At least two of the officers removed by Mr. Hegseth from the promotion list are women and two are Black men. An additional three are white men.

Mr. Hegseth’s actions, which appear to violate the rules governing a promotion system that is supposed to be apolitical and merit-based, were described by four current and former defense officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive personnel matters.

Additionally, sources characterized Hegseth’s removal of the officers as “highly unusual.”

A Pentagon spokesperson told The New York Times that promotions were given to those “who have earned them” and refuted the notion that race or gender would factor into the decision.

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