Overview

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth convened roughly 800 generals and admirals at Marine Corps Base Quantico and declared an end to what he called the military’s 'woke' era.
• Hegseth announced fitness tests set to male benchmarks, stricter grooming rules including no beards, and admonished 'fat generals,' while urging dissenting officers to resign.
• He outlined moves to loosen disciplinary guardrails by reviewing definitions of toxic leadership, bullying and hazing, and permitting tougher basic training practices.
• President Donald Trump said he signed an order to create a quick reaction force for civil unrest and described using U.S. cities as training grounds, calling the challenge a 'war from within.'
• The unprecedented, short-notice gathering drew concern over cost, security and politicization, as the stone-faced audience reflected unease during a broader overhaul that has included renaming the Pentagon the War Department and recent firings of senior officers.