Pete Hegseth tells troops to resign if they don’t like anti-woke message

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told service members to “resign” if they don’t like his message of eliminating “woke” diversity measures and removing restrictions on lethal force on the battlefield.

In a speech before hundreds of commanders at Quantico Marine Corps Base in Virginia, Hegseth declared the Defense Department “dead” in favor of the War Department and told troops that the military’s sole mission is “preparing for war and preparing to win.”

“If the words I’m speaking today are making your heart sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign,” Hegseth told the audience. “We would thank you for your service. But I suspect the overwhelming majority of you feel the opposite. These words make your hearts full.”

Last week, Hegseth called back generals and flag officers ranked one star and above from across the world for an unprecedented in-person address.

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The secretary has already fired a dozen senior-ranking general officers.

Throughout the 45-minute address, Hegseth repeatedly attacked what he called decades of “decay” in the ranks, driven by diversity programs, lowered standards and politicized leadership.

“We became the woke department. But not anymore,” 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. We are done with that.”

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The secretary said his directives will reestablish rigorous physical, grooming and leadership standards — including requiring all combat positions to meet “male level” physical benchmarks. He said this would apply equally to men and women, even if it meant fewer female troops in certain roles.

“If women can make it, excellent. If not, it is what it is,” Hegseth said. “Weak men won’t qualify either. We’re not playing games.”

Hegseth announced 10 new directives aimed at restoring what he called a “warrior ethos” across all branches, beginning with a return of all combat standards to their pre-2015 levels, reversing changes made to expand female participation. Fitness tests will be gender-neutral and administered twice a…