US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has declared that American troops “need to be fit, not fat” following a report revealing that two-thirds of Guard and Reserve service members are overweight. The statistic, published by the American Security Project, was branded “completely unacceptable” by Hegseth in a post on X on Friday.
In his social media statement, Hegseth said the Trump administration would be implementing “real fitness and weight standards” to address the issue. The remarks came after a speech at the US Army War College in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, where he told troops they must be “fit, not fat” and “sharp, not shabby”.
The defence secretary’s comments have reignited debate over military fitness requirements, with critics arguing that body fat percentage is not always an accurate measure of combat readiness. However, Hegseth insisted that maintaining strict standards is essential for national security.
