Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed US military leaders to confirm that each member of the division watched the speech he delivered at an uncommon gathering of senior officers in Quantico, Virginia, final month and critiques the coverage modifications he introduced within the wake of that occasion, in accordance to a memo reviewed by NCS.
“Leaders at every level will ensure all personnel will either watch the full recording or read the official transcript of the speech, and review the policy changes no later than 31 October 2025,” the October 6 memo from Hegseth states.
Hegseth’s memo comes after he ordered senior officers to journey to Quantico for what amounted to a largely political speech that asserted his imaginative and prescient for the way the military will bodily look and act.
He additionally provided a stark ultimatum throughout his speech: If you don’t agree, resign.
While Hegseth delivered his speech, in particular person, to tons of of senior officers, the next memo makes clear he needs to be certain the message reaches defense personnel at each degree.
Leaders “must inculcate our cultural shift and ensure every member of the Department of War understands my guidance,” Hegseth wrote within the memo, utilizing the Trump administration’s most well-liked identify for the Defense Department.
Asked concerning the new memo, a Pentagon spokesperson mentioned that “The Secretary’s speech was for the whole force and this memo just reinforces that guidance.”
The directives that accompanied the speech largely roll again efforts made over the past decade targeted on eradicating poisonous tradition within the military, each to lower dangerous behaviors like harassment, but additionally to meet sensible wants of getting individuals in uniform and conserving them there longer.
There was additionally a major emphasis in Hegseth’s speech on the health and look of service members. Hegseth advised the room of senior officers he didn’t need to see any “fat” generals strolling the halls of the Pentagon.
Following Hegseth’s speech in Quantico, the Texas Military Department reportedly eliminated an unspecified variety of National Guard troops that had been deployed to Chicago as a result of they weren’t “in compliance” with sure Pentagon standards.
The troops, despatched to Chicago as a part of President Donald Trump’s domestic-facing mission targeted on crime, had been changed amid criticism on social media over photos that confirmed among the Guard members showing to be chubby.
“In less than 24 hours, Texas National Guardsmen mobilized for the Federal Protection Mission,” a spokesperson advised the commerce publication Task & Purpose. “The speed of the response necessitated a concurrent validation process, during which we identified a small group of service members who were not in compliance and have been replaced.”
NCS’s Haley Britzky contributed to this report