Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivered a keynote address at Special Operations Forces Week 2025 at McDill AFB in Florida. Here’s an excerpt:
“. . . . from day one at the Department of Defense, our overriding objectives have been clear: restore the warrior ethos, rebuild our military and reestablish deterrence.
It all starts with restoring the warrior ethos.
When President Trump asked me to take this job, he told me, well, one key thing, but really two. The first was, “Pete, you’re going to have to be tough as shit, [laughter] [applause] they’re gonna come after ya.” Boy, he was not kidding about that one. This job requires a steel spine and that’s fine.
My job’s easy compared to what you do. We’re doing the work on behalf of the American people and the American warfighter.
But then the president, after he said that went on to say, I need you and I want you to restore the warrior ethos in our military full stop. And that’s been my first priority since day one is restoring the warrior ethos.
It’s one of the most fundamental of those three objectives. Again, humans more important than hardware. E
verything starts and ends with warriors, from training to the battlefield.
We are leaving wokeness and weakness behind. No more pronouns. No more climate change obsession. No more emergency vaccine mandates. No more dudes in dresses, we’re done with that shit [applause] [cheering].
We’re focused on lethality, meritocracy, accountability standards and readiness.
That’s why since Election Day, since President Trump was elected, recruitment and retention numbers are up historically. Attracting military service is something Americans have long been attracted to. But more so when they see leadership they want to follow.
They want to be in disciplined formations that value them not for immutable differences, not for the color of our skin, or gender, but because of honor and integrity and grit and patriotism.
They want a meritocracy where they can work hard, make themselves better, kick ass and rise up. They’re looking for adventure, camaraderie, risk, danger.
They want to push themselves and test themselves against others. They want to flourish in an environment that embraces hard work, discipline and the warrior ethos.
Special operators know a thing or two about all of those. I’ve experienced it firsthand across the world. . . .”
. @SecDef We are leaving WOKENESS and WEAKNESS behind.
No more pronouns, no more climate change obsessions, no more emergency vaccine mandates, no more DUDES IN DRESSES.
We are done with that sh*t.” pic.twitter.com/MSunWnRYXU
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) May 6, 2025
. @SecDef “When our opponents know that our military is armed with the most capable weapon station known to man wielded by skilled warriors with the will to prevail.
They are less likely to challenge us on the battlefield. pic.twitter.com/EnyYNBiPVe
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) May 6, 2025
. @SecDef “We CANNOT compromise on standards.
Our standards will be HIGH. In combat formation, they will be GENDER NEUTRAL.” pic.twitter.com/6jOFGjtGWl
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) May 6, 2025
. @SecDef It’s always been a basic part of military service. You get up earlyand you WORK OUT because,
We are going to be FIT, NOT FAT. pic.twitter.com/vnXqgCPNgO
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) May 6, 2025
We are focused on LEATHILITY, MERITOCRACY, ACCOUNTABILITY, STANDARDS and READINESS.
That’s why since Election Day, RECRUITMENT NUMBERS AND RETENTION NUMBERS have been up historically pic.twitter.com/bmZySPzrfb
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) May 6, 2025
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