Hegseth, Trump Declare an End to Politically Correct Wokeness, New Focus on Warrior Ethos in U.S. Military

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth delivered a blunt message to hundreds of U.S. generals and admirals on Tuesday: the Pentagon is entering a new era defined by a “warrior ethos” and stripped of what he called the “politically correct” culture of recent decades. President Donald Trump stood alongside him, backing the change and warning that the military’s mission is to defend the nation, not “protect anyone’s feelings.”

The gathering, held at Marine Corps Base Quantico, drew about 800 senior officers from around the world. The Pentagon ordered nearly every general and admiral to attend, a move that sparked both speculation and concern given the risks of pulling so many top leaders off their posts at once.

Last week, following the highly unusual summons, rumors immediately began swirling of imminent war. This led to a number of details of Tuesday’s meeting being released, giving a preview of what was to come.

Hegseth’s remarks were sharp and uncompromising. “The era of politically correct, overly sensitive don’t-hurt-anyone’s-feelings leadership ends right now at every level,” he declared. He vowed to roll back diversity and equity mandates, review restrictions on discipline, and scrap what he views as distractions from combat readiness.

Among the changes: gender-neutral but “male-level” fitness standards for all troops, a review of hazing and bullying rules, and a shift in how career-ending mistakes are judged. “People make honest mistakes, and our mistakes should not define an entire career,” he said.

Hegseth dismissed the long-standing Pentagon refrain that “our diversity is our strength,” calling it an “insane fallacy.” He also criticized policies tied to transgender service, grooming standards, environmental regulations, and past vaccine mandates.

Trump echoed Hegseth’s vision, telling the gathered commanders: “The purpose of America military is not to protect anyone’s feelings. It’s to protect our republic.”

The President warned of “an invasion from within,” arguing that the military must now defend U.S. borders and even suggested dangerous American cities could serve as “training grounds” for troops. This remark immediately drew criticisms, but is simply an acknowledgment of reality: military surgeons have long been trained in inner city hospitals to treat knife and gunshot wounds and other cases of severe trauma.

Unlike his rallies, Trump’s speech drew little visible reaction. Officers listened in silence, some taking notes, but applause was sparse, in keeping with military decorum.

The Quantico summit was not an isolated event in the remaking of the Pentagon over the last few months. Since taking office, Hegseth has already cut the number of generals and fired multiple senior officials. Those actions sent shockwaves through the Pentagon, and many believe more resignations, retirements, and dismissals will follow as the new priorities take hold.

Officials told Politico that Hegseth’s instructions make clear that commanders unwilling to adapt should “do the honorable thing and resign.” His consolidation of power suggests he intends to reshape both the culture and leadership structure of the U.S. military for years to come.

While many conservatives welcome the focus on merit, toughness, and discipline, critics warn the pivot risks politicizing the military and downplaying external threats such as China and Russia. Some officers privately questioned whether gathering hundreds of top commanders in one place was safe or wise while U.S. forces remain deployed worldwide.

The message from Hegseth and Trump was clear: the Pentagon’s future will be defined less by diversity programs and bureaucratic rules and more by raw combat focus. For those who have been concerned about the degradation of American combat power over the last few years, it marks a welcome change.

Secretary Hegseth’s full remarks may be seen on YouTube HERE. President Trump’s full remarks may be seen on YouTube HERE.