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Pentagon Wants Only the Fittest Troops to Attend Upcoming Hegseth Speech: Report

Commanders must choose troops who pass fitness and grooming tests, and selected service members may work out with Hegseth, according to internal emails.

  • The Pentagon is instructing commanders to hand-select troops for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's 'State of the Force' address on September 30, requiring attendees pass Army waist-to-height tests and maintain 'impeccable grooming and uniform standards ,' according to internal emails obtained by the Wall Street Journal.
  • This event follows Hegseth's controversial gathering last year at Marine Corps Base Quantico, where he stunned senior officers by declaring the military would no longer tolerate what he called 'beardos' or 'fat generals.'
  • Expanding the invite list to lower-ranking troops, the Pentagon also mandates attendees rank among top performers and demonstrate integrity and discipline, while selected service members will work out alongside Hegseth.
  • Critics argue the emphasis oversimplifies military capability and risks using service members as props for political messaging, while Hegseth has faced controversy for fitness changes intended to reduce women's eligibility.
  • Though the Pentagon declined to comment on selection criteria, Hegseth has framed his mission as 'fixing decades of decay,' prioritizing physical readiness as essential to military effectiveness in future conflicts.
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Those who want to experience Pete Hegseth's speech live must not only be powerful in the US military: fitness, body care and uniform are also strictly tested.

·Berlin, Germany
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Mediaite broke the news in New York, United States on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
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