(The Center Square) – In an unprecedented and historic gathering of the military’s top leaders at Virginia’s Quantico Marine Base, War Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Donald Trump touted the military’s war ethos, stating that the days of the “woke department” are over, returning the military to a merit-based approach.
During Hegseth’s speech, he emphasized that a new era is dawning for the Department of War, beginning with a return to its roots.
“Good morning and welcome to the War Department, because the era of the Department of Defense is over,” the secretary told military leaders.
The war secretary underscored the need to raise and enforce the highest standards, returning the military to a merit-based system and ending the woke culture.
“This is a moment of urgency, mounting urgency. Enemies gather, threats grow. There is no time for games. We must be prepared. We’re going to prevent and avoid war. We must prepare. We are strength, part of peace through strength, and either we’re ready to win or we are not,” said Hegseth.
Hegseth acknowledged the need for more troops, weapons, and ships to win wars, with the president stressing the need to build more ships – pointing to the staggering number during World War II.
Much of the secretary’s speech centered around returning to their highest combat standards, doing away with an emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion.
“For too long we have promoted leaders for the wrong reasons,” he stressed. “We became the woke department.”
Hegseth pressed the need to enforce high standards as part of the secretary’s 10 Department of Board directives, realigning the mission of the military.
“Standards must be uniform, gender neutral and high, if not, they’re not standards,” he said. “This is not about preventing women from serving…If women can make it, excellent. If not, it is what it is … It will also mean that weak mean won’t qualify – because we’re not playing games. This is combat. This is life or death.”
He emphasized the importance of returning to the highest male standards.
“Simply put, if you do not meet the male level physical standards for a combat position, cannot pass a PT test or don’t want to shave and look professional. It’s time for a new position,” said the secretary. “The era of unprofessionalism is over.”
“War does not care if you’re a man or woman. Neither does the enemy. Nor does the weight of your rucksack, the size of an artillery round, or the body weight of the casualty on the battlefield … This is not about preventing women from serving,” said Hegseth.
The secretary briefly addressed his firing of several military leaders since taking the job.
“I have fired a number of senior officers since taking over … It is nearly impossible to change the culture with the same people who helped create it,” the secretary explained.
As part of reshaping the military, the secretary is doing away with “identity months, DEI offices and dudes in dresses. No more climate change.”
The president echoed Hegseth’s message, stressing combat readiness and eliminating woke policies.
“We’re back,” said the president. “We have awakened the warrior spirit.”
“We are bringing back a focus on fitness, ability, character, and strength … We will not be politically correct when it comes to defending American freedom,” said the president.
The president has been increasingly using the military stateside to protect the borders and fight crime, as he has deployed the National Guard in three cities, adding that Chicago will be next.
“We’ve brought back the fundamental principle that defending the homeland is the military’s first and most important priority. Only in recent decades did politicians somehow come to believe that our job is to police the far-reaches of Kenya and Somalia, while America is under invasion,” said the president. “We are under invasion from within.”
Trump cited the historic use of the military by previous presidents to maintain law and order, justifying his own use in enforcing law and order in cities across the country.
“George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Grover Cleveland … and others all used the Armed Forces to keep domestic order and peace … So today, I want to thank every servicemember who has bravely helped us secure the nation’s capital and make America safe for the people,” the president told the leaders.
The president told the leaders that he is with them and has their backs “100%,” adding that he has secured $1 trillion for the war budget, while touting a 3.8% pay raise for service members.
While much of the military’s attention has been focused on Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific for decades, the president stressed the need to focus on threats within the West.
“Together with the leaders here today, we’re also restoring a needed focus on defeating threats in the Western Hemisphere. Throughout this region, cartel terrorists have been allowed to wage a relentless campaign of death and destruction on our country,” said the president.
The site of the gathering at Quantico, home of the Marine Corps, as well as headquarters for military intelligence services and the FBI Academy, the setting could be seen as a reflection of the speeches, as several other locations, including the Pentagon, were bypassed for the event.
