Hegseth tells military leaders US is falling short, must improve to 鈥榩revent war鈥�
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth summoned roughly 800 senior U.S. military commanders from American bases across the globe Tuesday to hammer home his message that the armed forces have lost their edge after 鈥渄ecades of decay鈥� and must regain it.
Mr. Hegseth, speaking at a Marine base outside Washington to many leaders who served in the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, took aim at 鈥渇at generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon鈥� and diversity measures that he said made leaders walk 鈥渙n eggshells.鈥�
He said that service members would be held to the 鈥渉ighest male standard鈥� and would be required to pass two physical fitness tests per year. 鈥淚f that means no women qualify for some combat jobs, so be it. That is not the intent, but it could be the result.鈥�
Why We Wrote This
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the country鈥檚 military must return to a 鈥渨arrior ethos.鈥� He warned America鈥檚 military leaders that if they鈥檙e not on board with his reforms, which include holding service members to the 鈥渉ighest male standard,鈥� they should resign.
Women have been officially serving in military combat jobs for a decade.
Mr. Hegseth, who is under investigation by the Pentagon鈥檚 inspector general for allegedly mishandling sensitive military information on the app Signal, was criticized for convening the meeting because of the cost and for the security concerns. The meeting gathered all of America鈥檚 officers with a rank of one star and above 鈥� as well as the President of the United States 鈥� in one room.
Mr. Hegseth, who served as a major in the Army National Guard and has rebranded himself the Secretary of War, called the meeting last week.
The secretary began with a welcome that doubled as a warning.
鈥淭he era of the Department of Defense is over,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f the words I鈥檓 speaking today are making your heart sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign.鈥�
In a speech that appeared designed to project a tough image given his ongoing calls for a 鈥渨arrior ethos鈥� and more lethality in the ranks, Mr. Hegseth added, 鈥淥ur number one job is to be strong so we can prevent war in the first place.鈥�
In keeping with the standards of their profession, the commanders, who were ordered to appear in dress uniform, did not visibly respond.
President Donald Trump, who followed Mr. Hegseth and spoke for more than an hour, repeated his contention that the U.S. is 鈥渦nder invasion鈥� from an 鈥渆nemy within.鈥� In the past, he has used such language to refer to liberal Democrats as well as to unauthorized immigrants.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to straighten them out one by one,鈥� he said, adding some of those in the room would play 鈥渁 major part鈥� in that effort.
鈥淚f you don鈥檛 like what I鈥檓 saying, you can leave the room,鈥� Mr. Trump seemed to joke. 鈥淥f course, there goes your rank, there goes your future.鈥�
