US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the creation of a new four-star joint combatant command, the Autonomous Operations Command, to oversee drones, AI, and command-and-control systems for large-scale autonomous and robotic warfare, while also unveiling the Meridian Plan led by Emil Michael, Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey, and Newt Gingrich, and confirming a 20 percent cut in general officer positions.