Hegseth Directs Troops to Engage with His Anti-'Woke' Military Address

On September 30, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gathered senior military personnel at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. Nearly 800 top military officials, including generals and admirals, were summoned from various global locations on short notice for this singular event.

In a directive following his speech, Hegseth mandated that military members either watch or read the address delivered at Quantico, Virginia. In it, he proclaimed an end to what he termed the 'woke' military and criticized 'overweight generals.' Furthermore, he emphasized that female service members should meet the physical fitness standards traditionally set for men.

A memo seen by NPR details this initiative, known as the 'Warrior Ethos Tasking.' By month-end, service members must engage with the speech video and adhere to the new policy directives. These memos detail plans for heightened physical fitness and grooming standards to bolster military readiness.

The directive states, "Commanders are required to officially record the completion of the Warrior Ethos Tasking in a Memorandum for Record."

A Defense Department spokesperson, who requested anonymity, indicated via email that the speech addressed all military ranks and that the subsequent memo reasserts this guidance.

A Shift in Strategic Military Culture

Pacing the stage with a vast American flag behind him, Hegseth proclaimed, "Today marks the cessation of aggressions against warriors." He announced the transition from the Defense Department to the Department of War, signaling a pivot towards a more assertive military stance.

Hegseth, a prior member of the Army National Guard and erstwhile Fox News anchor, criticized the elevation of leaders based on non-meritocratic factors like race and gender quotas.

He remarked, "It's exhausting to observe troops in any formation who are physically unfit. It's equally unacceptable for high-ranking officials to physically lack discipline within the Pentagon's corridors."

Declaring this a liberating moment for American soldiers, Hegseth stated, "Linked to neither politics nor societal conventions, we are crafted for a singular purpose."

The Audience's Taciturn Response

The military leaders maintained composure and silence as Hegseth delivered his remarks, a demeanor that persisted when President Trump also addressed them.

President Trump later noted the room’s somber mood, stating, "Never have I entered such a silent space. You're free to express applause or react as you wish."

An undisclosed source shared with NPR that prior to the speeches, Gen. Dan Caine, head of the Joint Chiefs, instructed the officers to engage with the occasion as if attending the State of the Union, where military leaders traditionally maintain impartial expressions.