Pete Hegseth says US no longer wants fat Generals, Admirals, or troops — orders them to prepare for war

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made a rare, high-profile address to the top U.S. military leaders, highlighting that they must "prepare for war." Speaking at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Hegseth mentioned, "From this moment forward, the only mission of the newly restored Department of War is this: Warfighting." He said, "Preparing for war and preparing to win. Unrelenting and uncompromising in that pursuit. Not because we want war. No one here wants war. But it's because we love peace."

Crackdown on Physical Fitness

Hegseth criticized overweight officers and personnel, stating it “completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon leading commands around the country, in the world, it’s a bad look.” He mandated that every service member should meet height and weight standards twice yearly and get at least 70% on their branch’s physical fitness criteria tests for combat roles.

The secretary framed his directives as part of getting back the military’s “warrior ethos,” stating his own rigorous training regimen as an example: “It all starts with physical fitness and appearance. If the Secretary of War can do regular, hard PT, so can every member of our joint force.”

Rejecting "Woke" Policies

Hegseth also denounced what he explained as “woke” initiatives, mentioning, "No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses, no more climate change worship, no more division, distraction or gender delusion, no more debris. I've said before and will say again, we are done with that s***."

Ahead of Hegseth’s address, President Donald Trump emphasized a tough approach on leadership, citing, “I’m going to be meeting with generals and with admirals and with leaders, and if I don’t like somebody, I’m gonna fire them right on the spot.”

FAQs:

Q1. Who is Pete Hegseth?
Pete Hegseth is the U.S. Secretary of Defense under the Trump administration. He supervises military activities and policy.

Q2. What is the “warrior ethos”?
It highlights readiness, discipline, and combat efficiency. Hegseth wants all troops to follow it.