Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered all members of the U.S. military to watch or read a speech he gave to the commander-in-chief on Sept. 30 at Marine Corps Base Quantico. virginia, defender I learned. This directive, confirmed by the Department of Defense, army leadership and political Indoctrination.
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An internal email sent Wednesday to the 1st Fighter Wing at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, a major Air Force installation in Hampton, Virginia, was obtained. defenderConfirm your order. In it, the wing’s commander, Col. Brad S. Hubinger, wrote: Watch the entire recording or read the official transcript The government will report on the content of his speech and consider policy changes by October 31, 2025 at the latest. ”
The U.S. military is the world’s second-largest military in terms of expenditures, with approximately 2.1 million soldiers as of June 2025. According to Go to USAFacts. There are approximately 500,000 uniformed Air Force personnel.
Related: Hegseth attacked transgender service members in his speech, saying, “We don’t need any more men in dresses.” That’s over now.”
“We are still awaiting U.S. Air Force implementation guidance on the new Department of the Army policy,” Hubinger added. The email included a link to a government website where the content was stored, as well as a 23-page document. memorandum.
“The Secretary’s address was for the entire force, and this memo only reinforces that guidance,” a Pentagon official said. defenderBut he did not say why all generals and admirals had to come to the United States for the speech if it was to be widely distributed anyway.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks with military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, on September 30, 2025.Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
The message, distributed across all wings, shows that Hegseth’s directive, issued in late September, is already being treated as a binding order. These policies reinstate pre-2015 combat fitness standards, mandate twice-yearly physical exams, and eliminate facial hair and gender expression considerations that previously covered medical and sexual expression. religious needs.
In his Quantico speech, Hegseth announced the end of the Pentagon, announced a return to the “Department of the Army,” and said the rebrand would “restore mission clarity.” He accused previous administrations of weakening the military through diversity and inclusion efforts, which he described as a “toxic distraction.”
“No more Identity Month, no more DEI offices, no more men in dresses, no more climate change worship,” he told the assembled generals and admirals. “That’s over now.”
The 45-minute speech blended moral revivalism with militant rhetoric, calling for “peace through strength” while denouncing equality efforts as a “cancer.” “The days of politically correct, overly sensitive leadership that doesn’t hurt anyone’s feelings are over now,” Hegseth said. “Standards must be uniform, gender-neutral, and high. Otherwise, they are not standards, they are just suggestions.”
He announced new grooming and fitness mandates, declaring, “The days of unprofessional looks are over. The days of growing a beard are over.” His directive requires all members of the military, from private to fourth class, to undergo daily physical training and meet strict body composition requirements. “If the Secretary of the Army can conduct regular hard PT, then so can every member of the joint force,” he said. “If you want to grow a beard, join the Special Forces. If you don’t, just shave it.” Many black men have traditionally had medical exemptions from shaving because of the structure of their hair, which causes ingrown bumps, irritation and infections.
Related: This week, Pete Hegseth and Kash Patel begin the terrifying revival of the Lavender Scare
Former fox news Hegseth, a host and Iraq war veteran, has long positioned himself as an ideological warrior against what he calls “woke corruption.” In Quantico, he framed his reform as a moral restoration. “Personnel matters are policy,” he said, urging executives who are reluctant to implement the new standards to “do the honorable thing and resign.”
Military leaders listen to a speech by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, on September 30, 2025. Alex Wangetti Images
said a senior airman currently on active duty. defender The directive “feels like propaganda being forced upon us,” he said. The airman, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said the order was widely seen as a “test of loyalty.”
“It was a disgusting speech. Even the general didn’t seem thrilled,” said the Air Force officer. “I’m sure he wants to move on, but he wants this kind of speech to become the norm. He wants us to hate our fellow service members for not being ‘strong’ enough.”
An airman who recognizes transgendersaid that “gender-neutral” standards and grooming rules reward obedience while punishing competent soldiers. “I scored over 90 on the PT test before and after the transition, and even I know that these new standards will eliminate good mechanics, good nurses, and good human resources,” they said. “They don’t care if you can do the job. They want a bunch of white men.”
said Brenda S. “Sue” Fulton, executive director of the Women in the Service Coalition and a West Point alumnus. defender that Hegseth’s rhetoric distorts both history and the purpose of the standard; “Ever since women were allowed to fly fighter jets, since women were allowed to serve in infantry and armored units, they have met the exact same standards as men,” she said. “But where is the evidence that our military is suffering from a lack of physical strength? What we learned from Iraq and Afghanistan is that failure in combat is always due to poor leadership and poor judgment. Why are we focusing on his bias, his beard, instead of what really matters in war?”
Fulton said Hegseth’s campaign is not about raising standards, but dismantling accountability. “Because he needs to make it clear that he’s lowering standards,” she said. “Standards of conduct and leadership are being relaxed. He is firing lawyers, watering down IG investigations, allowing those credibly accused of wrongdoing to be promoted to command, and revising the rules of engagement so that war crimes go unpunished. Character matters. Discipline and integrity matter. These are the differences between an insurgent and an army.”
New orders arrive amid presidential escalation donald trump’s Use of military rhetoric within the home. President Trump told generals at Quantico that the U.S. military must be ready to face the “enemy within.” It’s a term President Trump has used to describe domestic critics, federal officials, and political activists.
Related: Who is Pete Hegseth, the unwashed FOX News host whom President Trump nominated as Secretary of Defense?
Mr. Trump and Mr. Hegseth have overseen a series of deadly U.S. attacks on alleged drug-smuggling vessels off the coast of Venezuela, although accounts of how many operations have been carried out are contradictory. White House claimed at least six ‘drug boat’ attacks, but Pentagon officials said they could confirm only four, Reuters report. The attack, which killed at least 21 people, took place without any evidence being made public that the vessel was carrying drugs. Legal experts told Reuters the operation was seen as testing the “bounds of the law” and expanding the president’s authority to use military force unilaterally on the high seas.
Mr. Hegseth’s order to address all military personnel has eerie overtones, especially as President Trump continues to blur the line between military preparedness and ideological loyalty.
“It’s scary how many of these higher-ups are following blatantly illegal orders,” said a senior airman. “These are less than legal tests in a courtroom and more a loyalty test for officers and soldiers. They are tests of whether commanders will follow illegal orders when the president demands them – and they do it every time. Transgender bans, deploying the National Guard, and attacking ‘drug ships’ on the high seas.”
[Trump] I don’t care about the courts, and I never have. He cares that people are willing to follow his commands, no matter what the law says. ”
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