By Bradley Jaye

Copyright breitbart

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced new standards Tuesday as part of an ongoing cultural shift at the Pentagon ending the “war on warriors” led by woke politicians and Pentagon leaders.

Hegseth, eight months into a historic tenure that has seen the Department of Defense rebranded and reoriented as the Department of War, made his announced Tuesday addressing top military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Quantico, Virginia, ahead of remarks by President Donald Trump.

“From this moment forward, the only mission of the newly restored Department of War is this: warfighting, preparing for war, and preparing to win, unrelenting and uncompromising in that pursuit,” he told the rare assemblage of top military brass.

Hegseth’s speech emphasized many themes pressed throughout his time leading the Pentagon, such as eradicating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) requirements, mandating higher standards, and earning peace by preparing for war.

But his 45-minute remarks in front of top generals and flag officers marked a formal pivot away from many past policies that Trump has argued distract from the military’s core mission.

“This is a moment of urgency, mounting urgency,” Hegseth warned. “Enemies gather, threats grow. There is no time for games. We must be prepared.”

Hegseth defended his decisions to purge the ranks of military leaders aligned around political goals, not warfighting.

“We have a sacred duty to ensure that our warriors are led by the most capable and qualified combat leaders,” he said, arguing that the men and women of the military are endangered by leadership distracted by superfluous aims.

His speech blamed politicians for many of the problems at the Pentagon, which have resulted in poor recruitment and retention and results on the battlefield.

WATCH — You’re ALL Getting PT! Hegseth Tired of Seeing “Fat Generals and Admirals”:

“The military has been forced by foolish and reckless politicians to focus on the wrong things,” Hegseth said. “In many ways, this speech is about fixing decades of decay, some of it obvious, some of it hidden. Or as the Chairman [of the Joint Chiefs] has put it, we are clearing out the debris, removing the distractions, clearing the way for leaders to be leaders.

“You might say, we’re ending the war on warriors.”

Hegseth credited Trump for focusing on the need to rid the Pentagon of leftist cultural elements, promising to deliver on Trump’s mandates to fix the troubled agency.

“This administration has done a great deal from day one to remove the social justice, politically correct, and toxic ideological garbage that had infected our department – to rip out the politics,” Hegseth said. “No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses. No more climate change worship, no more division, distraction, or gender delusions, no more debris.

“As I’ve said before and will say again, we are done with that shit.”

Hegseth declared a “Golden Rule test,” echoing the teachings of Jesus.

“The new War Department Golden Rule is this: do unto your unit as you would have done unto your own child’s unit. Would you want him serving with fat or unfit or under trained troops, or alongside people who can’t meet basic standards, or in a unit where standards were lowered so certain types of troops could make it in, in a unit where leaders were promoted for reasons other than merit, performance, and warfighting?

“The answer is not just ‘no,’ it’s ‘hell no.’”

Hegseth insisted “standards must be uniform, gender neutral, and high,” calling for a new adherence to height and weight standards regardless of rank or sex. “If not, they’re not standards.”

He spared no feelings in calling for military men and women regardless of ranks to get into warfighting shape and send the message they are ready to war by looking the part.

“Frankly, it’s tiring to look out at combat formations, or really any formation, and see fat troops,” he told the assembled crowd. “Likewise, it’s completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon and leading commands around the country and the world. It’s a bad look, and its not who we are.”

Hegseth announced a return to rigorous physical training standards – “we’re not talking hot yoga and stretching” – returning to the highest male standard and adding a combat field test.

Looking the part also requires a return to grooming standards.

“No more beards, long hair, superficial, individual expression,” he promised. “We don’t have a military full of Nordic pagans.”

Hegseth made clear he means business.

“Simply put, if you do not meet the male level physical standards for combat positions, cannot pass a PT test, or don’t want to shave and look professional, it’s time for a new position – or a new profession.”

He attacked past leaders who have framed the enforcement of high standards as “toxic.”

“Demanding high standards is not toxic,” he said. “Enforcing high standards is not toxic.”

Hegseth lambasted the Pentagon’s existing “risk averse culture” which he said “means officers execute not to lose instead of to win.”

He pledged to have his leaders’ backs, acknowledging true leadership involves taking some risks and promising to support them as they adopted the new, more traditional philosophy necessary for battlefield success.

Hegseth underscored the necessity of the changes while acknowledging not everyone will be on board.

“This is life and death,” he said.” The sooner we have the right people, the sooner we can advance the right policies. Personnel is policy. But I look out at this group, and I see great Americans, leaders who have given decades to our great Republic at great sacrifice, to yourselves and to your families. But if the words I’m speaking today are making your heart sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign.”

Hegseth’s call to elevate the standards of the department he oversees carries transformational potential, not just in the success of the Pentagon’s mission, but in the safety of the men and women who comprise it in service to their countrymen.

“Let no warfighter cry out from the grave, ‘if only I had been properly trained,’” he said.

Bradley Jaye is Deputy Political Editor for Breitbart News. Follow him on X/Twitter and Instagram @BradleyAJaye.