On Tuesday morning, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth addressed a gathering of hundreds of U.S. military commanders, officials, and personnel from around the world at the Marine Corps base at Quantico. Last week, Hegseth called them up for their attendance at this address, which also included remarks by President Donald Trump.

In his speech, Hegseth set the compass for the new Department of War, outlined a return to True North, and defined what was necessary and mission-focused, as well as what was fluff and would be eliminated. 

Hegseth greeted the Chairman, the Joint Chiefs, Generals, Admirals, Commanders, Officers, Senior Enlisted, non-commissioned officers (NCOs), and all members of the American military with a welcome and a declaration.

Welcome to the War Department. Because the era of the Department of Defense is over. 

You see, the motto of my first platoon was those who long for peace, must prepare for war. This is not a new idea, this crowd knows that. The origin dates to the 4th Century Rome and it has repeated ever since, including by our first commander in Chief, George Washington, the first leader of the War Department. It captures a simple yet profound truth: To ensure peace, we must prepare for war.

From this moment forward the only mission of the newly restored Department of War is this: war fighting — preparing for war and preparing to win. Unrelenting and uncompromising in that pursuit. Not because we want war, no one here wants war. But it is because we love peace, we love peace for our fellow citizens. They deserve peace, and they rightfully expect us to deliver it.

Our number one job, of course, is to be strong so that we can prevent war in the first place. 

Hegseth alluded to President Donald Trump's motto, first instituted by President Ronald Reagan, of "Peace Through Strength."

As history teaches us, the only people who actually deserve peace are those who are willing to wage war to defend it. That's why pacifism is so naive and dangerous. It ignores human nature and ignores human history. Either you protect your people and your sovereignty or you will be subservient to something or someone. It's a truth as old as time. And since waging war is so costly in blood and treasure, we owe our republic a military that will win any war we choose or any war that is thrust upon us. Should our enemy choose foolishly to challenge us, they will be crushed by the violence, precision, and ferocity of the War Department. In other words, to our enemies: F.A.F.O. If necessary, our troops can translate that for you. Another way to put it is: "Peace through Strength" brought to you by the Warrior ethos, and we are restoring both.

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Hegseth bolstered the leadership by agreeing with President Trump's words that the American military is "the strongest, most powerful, most lethal, and most prepared military on the planet. That is true, full stop. Nobody can touch us, it's not even close." But Hegseth warned that the calculus of war means that "our enemies get a vote," and called for urgency in our actions.

You feel it, I feel it. This is a moment of urgency. Mounting urgency. Enemies gather, threats grow. There is no time for games. We must be prepared. If we are going to prevent and avoid war, we must prepare now. We are the strength part of Peace Through Strength, and either we're ready to win, or we are not. 

You see, this urgent moment, of course, requires more troops, more munitions, more drones, more patriots, more submarines, more B-21 bombers. It requires more innovation, more AI in everything and ahead of the curve. More cyber effects, more counter UAS, more space, more speed. America is the strongest, but we need to get stronger and quickly. The time is now and the cause is urgent. 

Hegseth alluded to the strategic alliances President Trump is attempting to build, and how it is critical that they share the burden of Peace Through Strength. 

America cannot do everything. The free world requires allies with real hard power, real military leadership, and real military capabilities. The War Department is tackling and prioritizing all of these things. 

Hegseth then dived into the meat of his speech: reconstituting the culture of the War Department and setting directives that will set the marching orders.

The topic today is about the nature of ourselves. Because no plan, no program, no reform, no formation will ultimately succeed unless we have the right people and the right culture at the War Department. If I have learned one core lesson in my eight months in this job is that personnel is policy. Personnel is policy. The best way to take care of troops is to give them good leaders committed to the war-fighting culture of the department. Not perfect leaders. Good leaders. Competent, qualified, professional, agile, aggressive, innovative, risk-taking, apolitical, faithful to their oath and to the Constitution. Eugene Sledge in his World War II memoir wrote: "War is brutish, inglorious, and a terrible waste. Combat leaves an indelible mark on those who are forced to endure it. The only redeeming factors are my comrades' indelible bravery and their devotion to each other."

In combat there are thousands of variables as I learned in Iraq and Afghanistan, and as so many of you did in so many other places. Leaders can only control about three of them. You control how well you're trained, mostly how well you're equipped, and the last variable is how well you lead. After that, you're on your own. Our war fighters are entitled to be led by the best and most capable leaders. That is who we need you all to be. Even then, in combat, even if you do everything right, you may still lose people because the enemy always gets a vote. We have a sacred duty to ensure that our warriors are led by the most capable and qualified combat leaders. This is one thing you and I can control. And we owe it to the force to deliver it. 

Hegseth spoke of the decades of decay brought about by "foolish and reckless" politicians and said the directives are clearing out debris and clearing the way for leaders to be leaders. 

For too long we've promoted too many uniformed leaders for the wrong reasons. Based on their race, based on gender quotas, based on historic, so-called firsts. We've pretended that combat arms and non-combat arms are the same thing. We've weeded out so-called toxic leaders under the guise of double-blind psychology assessments. Promoting risk-adverse, go-along-to-get-along conformists instead. You name it, the department did it. Foolish and reckless political leaders set the wrong compass heading and we lost our way. We became, The Woke Department, But not anymore. Right now I'm looking out at a sea of Americans who made a choice when they were young men and young women to do something most Americans will not. To serve something greater than yourself. To fight for God, and country, for freedom and the Constitution. 

Hegseth spoke to the distinctive nature of fighting men and women and why it requires that the military do better by them and their children. 

You made a choice to serve, when others did not. And I commend you. You are truly the best of America. But this does not mean, and this goes for all of us, that our paths to this auditorium, on this day was a straight line. Or that the conditions of the formations we lead are where we want them to be. You love this country, and we love this uniform which is why we must do better.

Doing better for the War Department is removing the ideologies that destroy readiness.

This administration has done a great deal from Day One, to remove the social justice, politically correct, and toxic ideological garbage that had infected our department. To rip out the politics. No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses. No more climate change worship. No more division, distraction or gender delusions. No more debris. As I have said before, and will say again, we are done with that sh*t. I've made it my mission to uproot the obvious distraction that made us less capable and less lethal. That said, the War Department requires the next step.

Underneath the woke garbage is a deeper problem, and a more important problem that we are fixing and fixing fast. Common sense is back at the White House, so making the necessary changes is actually pretty straightforward. President Trump expects it.

Hegseth detailed his core litmus tests and directives for each commander, NCO, and leader to begin applying immediately. 

And the litmus test for these changes is pretty simple: Would I want my eldest son, who is 15-years-old, eventually joining the types of formations that we are currently wielding? If in any way the answer to that is "No," or even, "Yes, but..." then we're doing something wrong. Because my son is no more important than any other American citizen who dons the cloth of our nation. He is no more important than your sons, all precious souls made in the image and likeness of God. Every parent deserves to know that their son or their daughter that joins our ranks is entering exactly the kind of unit that the Secretary of War would want his son to join. Think of it as the Golden Rule test. Jesus said, "Do unto others that which you will have done unto yourself." It's the ultimate simplifying test of truth. The new War Department Golden Rule is this: "Do unto your unit as you would have done unto your own child's unit." Would you want him serving with fat or unfit or under-trained troops? Or alongside people who can't meet basic standards? Or any unit where the standards were lowered so certain types of troops could make it in? In a unit where leaders were promoted for reasons other than merit, performance, and war fighting? The answer is not just "No," It's "Hell, no!"  

Hegseth confirmed the War Department would restore:

a ruthless, dispassionate, and commonsense application of standards. I don't want my son serving alongside troops who are out of shape. Or a combat unit with females who cannot meet the same combat arms physical standards as men. Or troops who are not fully proficient on their assigned weapons platform or task. Or under a leader who was the "first" but not the best. Standards must be uniform, gender neutral, and HIGH. If not, they're not standards, they're just suggestions — suggestions that get our sons and daughters killed. 

Hegseth then declared, "The era of politically correct, overly sensitive, don't hurt anyone's feelings leadership ends right now."

At every level either you can meet the standard, either you can do the job, either you are disciplined, fit, and trained, or you are out. And that's why today, at my direction-- and this is the first of 10 Department of War directives that are arriving at your commands as we speak and in your inbox. Today, at my direction, each service will ensure that every requirement for every combat MOS, for every designated combat arms position, returns to the highest Male Standard only. Because this job is life or death. Standards must be met. And not just met, at every standard we should seek to exceed the standard, to push the envelope, to compete. It's common sense. And core to who we are and what we do, it should be in our DNA.

Hegseth committed to implementation and restoration of the following:

Hegseth said these standards are for all military, including the four-star generals:

It all starts with physical fitness and appearance. If the Secretary of War can do regular hard PT, so can every member of our joint force. Frankly, it's tiring to look out at combat formations, or really any formation, and see fat troops. 

Likewise it's completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon and leading commands around the country and the world. It's a bad look. It is bad, and it's not who we are.

So, 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 and pass the PT test. And as the chairman said, yes, there is no PT test. But today, at my direction, every member of the Joint Force at every rank is required to take a PT test twice a year. As well as meet height and weight requirements twice a year. Every year of service. Also today, at my direction, every Warrior across our Joint Force is required to do PT every duty day. It should be common sense, I mean, most units do that already. But we're codifying it. And we're not talking like hot yoga and stretching. Real hard PT. Yeah, there's, either as a unit, or as an individual. 

At every level, from the Joint Chiefs to everyone in this room, to the youngest private, leaders set the standard. And so many of you do this already: Active, Guard, and Reserve.

Hegseth addressed physical appearance and how this will once again be standardized.

This also means grooming standards. No more beards. Long hair, superficial individual expression. We're going to cut our hair, shave our beards, and adhere to standards. Cause it's like the broken windows theory of policing. It's like when you let the small stuff go, the big stuff eventually goes. So you have to address the small stuff. This is one duty, in the field, and in the rear. If you want a beard, you can join special forces. If not, then shave. We don't have a military full of Nordic pagans. But unfortunately, we have had leaders who refuse to call BS and enforce standards. or leaders who felt like they were not allowed to enforce standards.

Both are unacceptable. And that's why, today, at my direction, the era of unprofessional appearance is over. No more "Beardos." The era of rampant and ridiculous shaving profiles is over. Simply put, if you do not meet the male level, physical standards for combat positions or cannot pass a PT test or don't want to shave and look professional, it's time for a new position. Or a new profession. 

Hegseth liberated the military leaders and commanders with a redefinition of what the new War Department considers "toxic leadership," and what it is not.

On the topic of standards, allow me a few words to talk about toxic leaders. Upholding and demanding high standards is not toxic. Enforcing high standards, not toxic leadership. Leading war fighters toward the goals of high, gender neutral, and uncompromising standards in order to forge a cohesive, formidable, and lethal Deparatment of War is not toxic. It is our duty. Consistent with our constitutional oath. Real toxic leadership is endangering subordinates with low standards. Real toxic leadership is promoting people based on immutable characteristics, or quotas instead of based on merit. Real toxic leadership is promoting destructive ideologies that are anathema to the Constitution and the laws of nature and Nature's God, as Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence. The definition of toxic has been turned upside-down, and we're correcting that. That's why today, at my direction, we're undertaking a full review of the Department's definitions of so-called "toxic leadership," bullying, and hazing. To empower leaders to enforce standards without fear of retritibution or second-guessing. Of course, you can't do like nasty bullying and hazing. We're talking about words like "bullying" and "hazing" and "toxic" — they've been weaponized and bastardized inside our formations, undercutting commanders and NCOs. No more. Setting, achieving, and maintaining high standards is what you all do. And if that makes me toxic, then so be it.

Hegseth affirmed that from top to bottom, military education, to active duty, to the professional and officer arms of the department, the review of standards will be done, and certain litmus tests applied to those standards. Hegseth said:

Here are two basic framworks, I urge you to pursue this process. Standards I call, "The 1990 Test" and the "E6 Test." The 1990s test is simple. What were the military standards in the 1990s? And if they have changed, tell me why. Was it necessary change based on the evolving landscape of combat? Or was the change due to a softening, weaking, or gender-based pursuit of other priorities? 1990s seems to be a good a place to start as any. And the E6 Test. Ask yourself: Does what you're doing make the leadership, accountabilility, and lethality efforts of an E6, or frankly, an O3? Does it make it easier or more complicated? Does the change empower staff sergeants, petty officers, and tech sergeants, to get back to basics? The answer should be a resounding Yes. The E6 Test or O3 Test clarifies a lot, and it clarifies quickly. Because war does not care if you're a man or a woman. Neither does the enemy. Nor does the weight of your rucksack, the size of an artillery round, or the body weight of a casualty on the battlefield, who must be carried.

Hegseth made it clear that this was not a means to discriminate against or eliminate women in the military, and that this realignment of standards will discriminate against weaker men as well.

We very much value the impact of female troops. Our female officers and NCOs are the absolute best in the world. But when it comes to any job that requires physical power to perform in combat, those physical standards must be high and gender neutral. If women can make it, excellent. If not, it is what it is. If that means no women qualify for some combat jobs, so be it. That is not the intent, but it could be the result, so be it. It will also mean that weak men won't qualify, because we're not playing games. This is combat. This is life or death. As we all know, this is you versus an enemy hell bent on killing you. To be an effective, lethal, fighting force, you must trust that the warrior alongside you in battle is capable. Truly, physically capable of doing what is necessary under fire. You know this is the only standard you would want for your kids and for your grandkids.

Apply the War Department Golden Rule, the 1990 Test, and the E6 Test, and it's really hard to go wrong.

Truth be told, for the most part, we don't need new standards. We need to re-establish a culture where enforcing standards is possible. 

Hegseth rounded out his review of the new War Department directives by freeing commanders and NCOs to begin to take the lead without fear of retribution.

And that's why today, at my direction, I am issuing new policies that will overhaul the IG, EO, and MEO processes. I call it the "No More Walking on Eggshells" policy. We are liberating commanders and NCOs. We are liberating you. We are overhauling an Inspector General process, the IG, that has been weaponized. Putting complainers, ideologues, and poor performers in the driver's seat. We're doing the same with the equal opportunity and military equal opportunity polices — the EO and MEO at our department. No more frivolous complaints. No more anonymous complaints, no more repeat complaintants, no more smearing reputations. No more endless waiting. No more legal limbo. No more sidetracking careers. No more walking on eggshells. Of course, being racist has been illegal in our formation since 1948. The same goes for sexual harassment. Both are wrong, and illegal. Those kinds of infractions will be ruthlessly enforced. But telling someone to shave, or get a haircult, or get in shape, or fix their uniforms, or to show up on time or to work hard, that's exactly the kind of discrimination we want. 

Hegseth drew the bright line: A fighting force is built for a distinctive purpose and must have distinctive aims. He also affirmed that the Secretary of War and the Commander in Chief have their backs.

We are not civilians. You are not civilians. You are set apart for a distinct purpose. So, we as a a department need to stop acting and thinking like civilians, and get back to basics and put the power back in the hands of commanders and NCOs. Commanders and NCOs who make life and death decisions. Commanders and NCOs who enforce standards and ensure readiness. Commanders and NCOs who in this War Department have to look in the mirror and they have to pass the Golden Rule Test. My kids, your kids, America's sons and daughters.

So, I urge you all here today, and those watching: take this guidance and run with it. The core of this speech is the 10 Directives we're announcing today. They were written for you. For Army leadership, for Navy leadership, for Marine Corps leadership, for Air Force leadership, Space Force leadership, these directives are designed to take the monkey off your back and put you, the leadership, back in the driver's seat. Move out with urgency because we have your back. I have your back. And the Commander in Chief, has your back.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's full remarks and address are here.

WATCH:

Editor's Note: Thanks to President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's leadership, the warrior ethos is coming back to America's military.

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