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PRESENTED BY LOCKHEED MARTIN

The Big Story

Hegseth gives his generals an ultimatum in rare gathering

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a series of changes to the armed forces Tuesday that he claimed will raise the standards of America’s combat troops, telling any officers who don't share his vision to resign.

© Getty

The new policies, announced at an extraordinary meeting of hundreds of military leaders in Quantico, Va., are an extension of Hegseth’s campaign to reverse moves over the past two decades meant to make the military more inclusive of women and minority recruits. He cast the moves as necessary to increase the “lethality” of U.S. troops.

“A few months ago, I was at the White House when President Trump announced his ‘liberation day’ for America’s trade policy. It was a landmark day. Well, today is another liberation day, the liberation of America’s warriors,” Hegseth said.

“You kill people and break things for a living. You are not politically correct, don’t necessarily belong always in polite society,” he added. “You are different. We fight not because we hate what’s in front of us, we fight because we love what’s behind us.”

Hegseth said physical fitness would be prioritized across the armed forces, even if that means fewer women in combat roles, and announced the military’s internal complaint and investigations process would be overhauled to eliminate “frivolous” complaints.

“If the words I’m speaking today are making your heart sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign,” he told the crowd of admirals and generals.

Hegseth spent much of his speech focusing on grooming and fitness standards, taking aim at overweight troops and generals and unshaven faces.

“It all starts with physical fitness and........

© The Hill