Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has mandated that troops watch or read his recent speech criticizing a 'woke' military culture. Delivered on September 30 at Marine Corps Base Quantico, the address targeted fitness standards, grooming policies, and leadership promotions. The order, outlined in a memo, requires completion by month's end to reinforce military readiness.
On September 30, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed nearly 800 generals, admirals, and senior enlisted leaders gathered at an auditorium on Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. The officials had been summoned from commands worldwide on short notice for the unprecedented event. Hegseth, a 45-year-old Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News host, used the platform to declare an end to what he called the 'woke' era in the military.
Pacing the stage before a massive American flag, Hegseth stated, 'Today we end the war on warriors.' He announced that 'the era of the Defense Department is over,' proposing a shift to calling it the Department of War and fostering a more aggressive culture. He criticized promotions based on race, gender quotas, and 'historic firsts,' saying the U.S. military had elevated leaders for the wrong reasons.
Hegseth focused on physical standards, remarking, 'Frankly, it's tiring to look out at combat formations, or really any formation, and see fat troops. Likewise, it's completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon.' He ordered women in the military to meet the 'highest male standards' for physical fitness and emphasized grooming and readiness policies.
The audience remained stone-faced throughout, maintaining a stoic demeanor. Before the speeches, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine instructed officers to respond as they would during a State of the Union address, upholding the military's nonpartisan tradition. President Trump followed Hegseth, noting the silence: 'I never walked into a room so silent before. If you want to applaud, you applaud. You can do anything you want.'
Now, Hegseth has extended the message to the entire force via a memo obtained by NPR. Titled the 'Warrior Ethos Tasking,' it requires servicemembers to view a video of the speech and review updated policy memorandums on fitness, grooming, and readiness by October's end. Commanders must document completion in a Memorandum for Record. A Defense Department official explained, 'The Secretary's speech was for the whole force and this memo just reinforces that guidance.' Hegseth concluded the speech by calling it 'another liberation day, the liberation of America's warriors,' adding, 'You are not politically correct and don't necessarily always belong in polite society. We are purpose built.'