Hegseth vows in military address to end ‘woke military’ practices, restore warrior standards

In a Sept. 30 address delivered to hundreds of senior military leaders, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth unveiled major changes to internal military policy, declaring an end to diversity programs and promising to restore a “warrior ethos” across U.S. armed forces.

Speaking in Quantico, Virginia, before a packed hall, Hegseth repeatedly denounced what he described as years of “decay” brought on by weakened standards, political agendas, and diversity mandates. 

“We became the woke department. But not anymore,” Hegseth said, later adding, “No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses, no more climate change worship. No more division, distraction, or gender delusions. No more debris. We are done with that.”

Hegseth announced 10 directives aimed at reversing reforms of the past decade, such as the post-2015 combat standards that were adopted to expand female participation, FOX reported. He said fitness tests will now be gender-neutral, applied equally across the ranks, and held twice a year for all service members.

“Standards must be uniform, gender-neutral, and high,” he said. “If not, they’re not standards. They’re just suggestions — suggestions that get our sons and daughters killed.” 

Hegseth stressed that men and women alike will be required to meet the same “highest male standard” because “this job is life or death.” 

“If women can make it, excellent. If not, it is what it is,” he added later. “Weak men won’t qualify either. We’re not playing games.”

He announced that daily physical training will again be enforced, with height and weight requirements checked during the biannual fitness tests. 

“Frankly, it’s tiring to look out at combat formation or really any formation and see fat troops,” Hegseth said. “Likewise, it’s completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon, and leading all around the world. It’s a bad look, and it’s not who we are.”

Training will shift from mandatory PowerPoint courses to expanded field and weapons instructions, he said, and be reshaped into “tough and disciplined” programs. 

He further criticized what he described as the weaponization of terms like “toxic leadership” and “hazing,” arguing they have been used to punish strong leaders.

“Real toxic leadership is promoting people based on immutable characteristics or quotas instead of merit,” he said.

Calling the overhaul a “Liberation Day,” Hegseth told service members, “You kill people and break things for a living. You are not politically correct and don’t necessarily belong always in polite society. We are not an army of one. We are a joint force of millions of selfless Americans. We are warriors.”

He closed the address with the “Commander’s Prayer,” saying, “And most of all, Lord, please keep my soldiers safe. Lead them, guide them, protect them, watch over them. And as You gave all of Yourself for me, help me give all of myself for them.” 

President Donald Trump took the stage after Hegseth and reinforced the call to restore merit-based standards and pledged to make the armed forces stronger “than ever before.” 

“We went through political correct where you had to have people who were totally unfit to be doing what you’re doing,” Trump said. “Now it’s all based on merit.”

Trump also told assembled leaders they would play “a major part” in combating what he called a “war from within” in cities “run by the radical left Democrats,” such as San Francisco, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles.

“We’ve brought back the fundamental principle that defending the homeland is the military’s first and most important priority,” he said, adding, “We are under invasion from within, and we’re stopping it very quickly.”

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