Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivers remarks to flag officers in Quantico, Virginia, in September 2025. Hegseth is expected to give a similar “State of the Force” speech at the end of the month. (Department of Defense/US Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Aiko Bongolan)

Hegseth’s ‘State of the Force’ Speech Has a New Attendance Rule: Fit Troops Only

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The restricted attendance at Hegseth’s annual speech comes as part of his broader emphasis on “warfighting”—and his desire to enforce the armed services’ personal grooming standards.

There will be no fat soldiers in the ranks at Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s upcoming “State of the Force” address scheduled for September 30—reflecting the self-styled “Secretary of War’s” approach to optics during his tenure at the Pentagon.

Besides requiring that service members meet waist-to-height requirements, all those in attendance at the speech will be required to exhibit “impeccable” grooming standards, The Wall Street Journal first reported on Tuesday, citing internal emails between officials.

“Candidates, who will also have the opportunity to work out with the secretary, will be selected based on ‘demonstrated leadership quality and professional character,’” the paper of record added.

The internal directive further called for nominees who are “consistently rated as........

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