The U.S. Army has officially discontinued the Command Assessment Program (CAP), a Biden-era initiative designed to reduce biases in officer promotions, marking a significant shift under the Trump administration. Announced on September 2, 2025, the cancellation reverts to the previous Centralized Selection Board/List system, focusing solely on performance metrics. Former Army Secretary Christine Wormuth had formalized CAP in January 2025, just before Trump’s inauguration, aiming to evaluate leadership through interviews, personality assessments, and peer feedback to promote inclusivity.
Supporters of the program praised its emphasis on holistic evaluations, arguing it identified counterproductive behaviors and fostered diverse leadership. However, participation plummeted, with 54% of officers opting out in 2024—up from 40% in 2019—indicating resistance or lack of appeal. Army officials cited a recent review, aligned with a June Defense Department memo, as the rationale for ending CAP, emphasizing merit-based selections amid recruitment challenges.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth celebrated the move on social media, stating, “Good riddance. Promotions across the Department of Defense will ONLY be based on merit & performance.” The decision reflects broader Trump administration efforts to dismantle perceived “woke” policies, including bans on diversity quotas and a return to traditional evaluation methods.
Critics, including Democratic lawmakers and military advocacy groups, warn the rollback could exacerbate biases and hinder talent retention. They argue CAP’s assessments were essential for modern leadership, pointing to a 2024 incident where a general was fired for attempting to influence promotions. Proponents counter that it diverted focus from warfighting readiness, with recruitment surging 10,000 enlistees ahead of 2025 goals after shifting away from DEI messaging.
