Pentagon Will Screen Troops by Fitness for Hegseth Speech

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wants a handpicked audience for his next big speech—and they'd better be in peak shape. The Pentagon has asked commanders to nominate troops for Hegseth's Sept. 30 "State of the Force" address who pass the Army's waist-to-height and fitness tests, have "impeccable" grooming and uniforms, and are top performers with spotless records, per emails reviewed by the Wall Street Journal.

Selected servicemembers may also work out with Hegseth. The event follows last year's Quantico gathering of generals and admirals, where he railed against "beardos" and "fat generals" while vowing to scrap what he calls "woke" policies and refocus solely on "warfighting." The event was meant to re-enforce a "warrior ethos," though critics argued that Hegseth was narrowing priorities and politicizing the ranks. This year's speech is open to officers and enlisted troops alike, notes the Journal.