Hegseth: No More ‘Woke’ Military—Declares End to ‘Politically Correct’ Era in U.S. Military

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered remarks Tuesday to an uncommon gathering of the nation’s highest-ranking generals and admirals in Quantico, Virginia. While his speech largely echoed themes he has emphasized in the past, Hegseth underscored his vision for a tougher, less politicized military focused on combat readiness.

Rejecting Political Correctness
Hegseth said the military must move away from what he described as an era of “overly sensitive, don’t-hurt-anyone’s-feelings leadership.” He dismissed policies he sees as distractions, including what he called “climate change worship” and “gender delusions.”

Inspector General Reform
He criticized the Pentagon’s internal watchdog, saying it has become politicized, and announced plans to overhaul the office to prevent what he described as frivolous, anonymous complaints. Hegseth emphasized that discrimination and harassment remain illegal and unacceptable but said leaders should not have to “walk on eggshells” when enforcing standards.

Leadership Standards
The defense secretary also pledged to revisit the military’s definitions of “toxic leadership,” bullying, and hazing. The review, he said, would aim to give commanders more confidence in setting and maintaining discipline without fear of being unfairly targeted.

Fitness and Readiness
On physical standards, Hegseth criticized declining fitness levels within the ranks. “Whether you’re an Airborne Ranger or a chairborne ranger, a brand new private or a four-star general, you need to meet the height and weight standards,” he said.

Equal Standards for Combat Roles
He further announced that a new combat field test would hold all troops to the same highest-level male standard, eliminating separate benchmarks for women. “This job is life and death. Standards must be met,” he said, stressing that physical readiness must be universal across the force.

Uniformity in Appearance
Hegseth also reaffirmed strict grooming and appearance regulations, declaring that beards, long hair, and other forms of “superficial individual expression” would no longer be tolerated.