Pete Hegseth, the US Secretary of the newly renamed Department of War, has delivered a fiery speech to military commanders at Quantico, Virginia, vowing to eradicate what he called 'woke' culture from the armed forces. In an address intended to be provocative, Hegseth declared: 'We became the woke department. Not any more. We’re done with that shit.'
The Pentagon chief railed against diversity initiatives and accused troops of being overweight, in a speech that appeared designed to rally support amid questions over his authority. Hegseth faces scrutiny after potential security breaches, including inadvertently adding a journalist to a group chat discussing classified war plans and sharing military operations with family members and his personal lawyer in a separate chat.
In addition to his cultural attacks, Hegseth announced new media access rules for the Pentagon that require prior approval before even unclassified information is published. News organisations have pushed back against the restrictions, setting the stage for a confrontation over press freedom.
The speech marks a significant shift in tone for the US military, which has in recent years focused on inclusivity and diversity. Hegseth's comments have drawn both praise from conservative circles and criticism from those who argue they undermine morale and professionalism.
