War Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a blistering address Tuesday at Marine Corps Base Quantico, telling an extraordinary gathering of America’s top generals and admirals that combat troops must meet “male-level” fitness standards to prepare for “life and death” situations.
“If women — and weak men — don’t meet those standards, so be it,” Hegseth declared.
Blasting what he called a culture of lowered expectations, Hegseth said: “Frankly, it’s tiring to look out at combat formations — and frankly any formations — and see fat troops. It’s 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!”
The new directive, to be issued across every branch, will mandate tougher training and require combat forces to complete “real hard” physical conditioning daily, along with twice-yearly tests at the “highest male standard.”
Hegseth, 45, has at times joined troops in the field and even sparred with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a “Pete and Bobby Challenge” designed to inspire fitness nationwide.
“I don’t want my son serving alongside troops who are out of shape, or in combat units with females who can’t meet the same combat arms physical standards as men, or troops who are not fully proficient on their weapons platforms, or under a leader who was ‘the first’ but not ‘the best,’” Hegseth said.
“Standards must be uniform, gender-neutral and high. If not, they’re not standards. They’re just suggestions. Suggestions that get our sons and daughters killed.”
Hegseth also ripped “politically correct, overly sensitive” promotions in the armed forces. “The era of … don’t-hurt-anyone’s-feelings leadership ends right now at every level,” he said, urging dissenting commanders to “do the honorable thing and resign.”
“More leadership changes will be made,” Hegseth vowed. “Of that, I’m certain.”
Watch the clip below:
Hegseth calls out “fat” troops and generals. He says going forward, every service member will need to pass the physical test twice a year if they want to remain a member of the armed services.
He says being a fat soldier is “unacceptable”.
He’s correct.
pic.twitter.com/h0WUza6tpG— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) September 30, 2025
President Trump also mentioned before the event that he was ready to fire any generals he did not like “on the spot.”
President Trump says he will have no problem firing leaders “ON THE SPOT” that he doesn’t like at Quantico:
"I'm gonna be meeting with generals and admirals and with leaders, and if I don't like somebody, I'm gonna fire them right on the spot."
pic.twitter.com/AH0Jg01bn3— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 30, 2025
More over at The New York Post:
Pete Hegseth demands troops meet ‘male-level’ physical standards, rails against ‘woke garbage’ and ‘fat troops’ in military https://t.co/CBSezFNO1i pic.twitter.com/4Br8a4OmWv
— New York Post (@nypost) September 30, 2025