US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has told military leaders that the Trump administration has reshaped the armed forces, using a partisan address at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia to denounce what he called ideological opponents.
Speaking to hundreds of junior officers and enlisted leaders, Mr Hegseth said the military had undergone a cultural transformation since he took charge at the Pentagon. He declared: “No fatties, no trannies, no beardos, no weirdos, no wimps, no radicals. Just warriors.”
He added: “The ideological clowns are out. The patriotic cowboys are in, with testosterone testing on top.”
The secretary said he had reduced the number of senior flag officers by 10 per cent and intended to reach a 20 per cent cut. His approach, including intervening in promotion boards, has drawn criticism from both Republicans and Democrats.
Several senior officers, many of them Black or women, have been dismissed without explanations despite strong service records, according to the account of the changes presented at the event.
Senator Jack Reed, the senior Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Mr Hegseth’s actions had damaged the US military and warned that the latest developments should concern the public.
“Throughout his tenure, Secretary Hegseth has taken countless reckless, partisan actions that have damaged our military,” Mr Reed said. “He has ended the careers of dozens of our most accomplished senior officers and refused to explain why. Today’s news should alarm every American.”
Hegseth attacks media coverage of military
Mr Hegseth defended his policies by claiming that recruitment and retention had improved, including among women and minority groups. He described the new force as “color-blind” and based on merit.
He also attacked media reports about troop morale and depleted munitions stocks during the war in Iran, which has now entered its seventh month.
“A free press is, of course, important, but partisan activism that intentionally smears the troops and the historic mission that they’re undertaking is fundamentally anti-American,” Mr Hegseth said. “It’s sick. It’s a national betrayal. It’s treason, actually.”
The Pentagon has not held a news briefing since May, despite the ongoing conflict and the presence of a press corps selected by the department that is described as more sympathetic to the Trump administration.
The Quantico gathering followed a similar event last year, when Mr Hegseth delivered a strongly political speech to generals and admirals. The US military has traditionally sought to avoid partisan politics, while senior officers at the event remained largely silent as he addressed culture-war issues covered in his book, The War on Warriors.
Mr Hegseth said the “State of the Force” address would become an annual event. He again blamed former generals and defence secretaries for weakening the military.
He also announced plans involving autonomous weapons, technological development, military base construction and domestic production of essential supplies. He pledged to raise the standing of military chaplains and described religious faith as the most important element of the republic.
The secretary has also announced the end of civilian tenured positions at US military academies. The Pentagon said the move was intended to focus the institutions on lethality and readiness, while Mr Hegseth named five colleges that will pilot closer links with the department to produce officer candidates.
