Retired Maj. Gen. Randy Manner says Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is playing a dangerous game with his plans to slash more officials from the U.S. military’s senior ranks amid his mission to rid the service of anything “woke.”

Manner weighed in on Hegseth’s moves to cut 20% of positions reserved for the Army, Navy, and Air Force’s generals and admirals during a Wednesday appearance on CNN’s “The Lead,” where he called the secretary’s strategy “unbelievable” and “sophomoric.”

Comparing upheaval in the armed forces to something just as seismic in the business sector, the high-ranking veteran said, “A thoughtful restructuring would be very smart. He’s not doing that. He, literally, is purging people who don’t agree with him.”

'This incompetent Secretary of Defense... is playing Russian roulette with the security of the United States.' Retired Army Major General Randy Manner joins @jaketapper to react to Secretary Hegseth announcing a 20% cut to senior officer ranks. pic.twitter.com/WKrJWKzItm

Manner went on, “This incompetent secretary of defense is actually dealing not with the profitability of a corporation but is instead playing Russian roulette with the security of the United States. This is extremely dangerous.”

The former serviceman told CNN there was a huge difference between making the military less top heavy and what Hegseth was up to, adding, “The concept of reducing the number of admirals and generals is a good one. The problem is that the secretary of defense has already proven that he’s trying to purge the military.”

Hegseth defended his tactics during what he called a “State of the Force” address at Marine Corps Base Quantico on Wednesday.

“The media calls that a purge,” he said. “I call it accountability and long overdue. The ideological clowns are out. The patriotic cowboys are in.”

Summing up his plans in the coarsest way possible, Hegseth said, “We are no longer the woke department or the weak department. Simple translation: no fatties, no trannies, no beardos, no weirdoes, no wimps, no radicals.”

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