U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a stark rebuke to senior military leaders on Tuesday, condemning what he described as a culture of decay marked by overweight officers and misguided diversity efforts.
Speaking at a gathering of top generals and admirals in Quantico, Virginia, Hegseth urged those who disagreed with his vision to resign, framing the event as a pivotal moment to restore the military's focus.
The assembly, convened without prior explanation, featured Hegseth's defense of recent high-profile dismissals, including the nation's top general and the Navy's leading admiral.
He attributed these actions to a "broken culture" exacerbated by what he called the "Woke Department" era under previous leadership.
Hegseth promised reforms to streamline handling of discrimination complaints and investigations, arguing the existing processes left commanders overly cautious.
"If the words I'm speaking today are making your hearts sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign," Hegseth stated.
He contrasted this with his belief that most attendees supported the changes, adding, "I know the overwhelming majority of you feel the opposite. These words make your hearts full."
Central to Hegseth's address was a renewed emphasis on physical standards, which he linked directly to combat readiness.
He decried the sight of "fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon" and "fat troops" in formations, calling such appearances unacceptable and unrepresentative of the force's identity.
Under his directive, all service members must now undergo physical fitness tests and meet height and weight requirements twice annually, regardless of rank.
Combat roles will adhere strictly to the highest male benchmarks, with Hegseth insisting on uniform, gender-neutral standards to ensure proficiency in weapons and tasks.
"It's completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals," Hegseth remarked, extending the critique to grooming by declaring an end to lax appearances: "The era of unprofessional appearance is over. No more beardos."
The secretary positioned these measures as a return to the military's "warrior ethos," drawing from his own routine workouts with troops worldwide. "It all starts with physical fitness and appearance," he said.
"If the secretary of War can do regular, hard PT [physical training], so can every member of our joint force."
President Donald Trump, who attended the event, reinforced the message with a lighthearted yet pointed opening: "If you don't like what I'm saying, you can leave the room, of course, there goes your rank, there goes your future."
Trump had earlier told reporters he would dismiss leaders on the spot if dissatisfied, underscoring the administration's firm backing of Hegseth's agenda.