Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called on the military to toughen standards and assailed what he described as “decades of decay” that he said were the result of past policies that emphasized diversity at an extraordinary meeting of top military officers.

Hundreds of commanders and other senior officers from around the globe have been summoned to the short-notice meeting that is without recent precedent, held in a packed hall at the Marine Corps base at Quantico, Va.

Hegseth, who has rebranded himself as the “secretary of war,” didn’t explain the purpose of the gathering in instructing generals and admirals to attend the session. Since then, Trump administration officials have said that Hegseth intends to stress his efforts to build a “warrior ethos.” Trump, who wasn’t initially included in the planning for the event, according to some officers instructed to attend, has opted to follow Hegseth with his own address.

“Welcome to the war department because the era of the Department of Defense is over,” Hegseth said in his opening remarks. “Our number one job is to be strong so we can prevent war in the first place.”

Promising that senior officers would no longer have to walk on “egg shells” concerning disciplinary issues, Hegseth stressed that if anyone disliked his approach, they should leave the military.

Members of the military attend a meeting convened by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, at Marine Corps Base Quantico, in Quantico, Virginia, U.S., September 30, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

“If the words I’m speaking today are making your hearts sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign,” Hegseth said.

Much of his address focused on standards in the military, saying personnel would be judged on their fitness and appearance. Physical fitness tests would be set to male standards, he stressed, warning that it could mean women are no longer able to serve in some combat roles.

He also emphasized the importance of grooming among male personnel. “The era of unprofessional appearance is over,” Hegseth said. “No more beardos.”

The meeting comes as the Pentagon is revising the National Defense Strategy, a seminal document that establishes spending and operational priorities, which is issued every four years.

The emerging strategy, said current and former officials, underscores the priority of securing the Western Hemisphere, a requirement that reflects the Trump administration’s opposition to the Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro and the White House’s focus on stopping illegal immigration.

But the strategy is also being drafted as the U.S. military is trying to strengthen its capability to deter China from taking action against Taiwan in the Western Pacific and the Pentagon is encouraging European nations to assume the lead role in defending the continent against potential Russian aggression.

Even with defense spending running at about $1 trillion a year, there is a fierce competition for resources as the military services move to develop new weapons, improve the readiness of their current forces, fill diminished munitions stockpiles and take on new projects, including Trump’s costly “Golden Dome” initiative to try to develop a nationwide antimissile defense.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting of senior military leaders convened by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Quantico, Virginia, U.S., September 30, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

The military also faces other challenges about its role at home and abroad. The White House’s decision to deploy the National Guard in Portland and other U.S. cities has raised fundamental questions about whether the military is overstepping the bedrock principle that it shouldn’t be drawn into domestic law enforcement.

The military is also being challenged by lawmakers and legal experts about its expanding role in the Caribbean, including airstrikes carried out against suspected drug smugglers at sea. That role is likely to expand in the coming months as the U.S. deploys more forces to Puerto Rico and the U.S., according to Trump, considers strikes on land.

Hegseth served as a major in the Army National Guard and is well-known as a former Fox News host who has long been a sharp critic of diversity programs within the armed forces, a theme he repeated Tuesday as he seeks to promote his views on military culture to senior officers who have served in several conflicts.

“Foolish and reckless political leaders set the wrong compass heading and we lost our way. We became the ‘Woke Department,’” Hegseth said.

But it is Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who was picked by Trump, who has played the principal role in advising the White House on the June strike on Iran’s nuclear sites and military operations in the Caribbean, administration officials say.

Members of the military attend a meeting convened by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, at Marine Corps Base Quantico, in Quantico, Virginia, U.S., September 30, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Hegseth’s management of the department has come under scrutiny from lawmakers following several leaks and infighting within his front office, as well as an internal inspector general investigation into whether he posted classified information about U.S. strikes on Yemen in a text group chat on Signal that inadvertently included a journalist. Hegseth has denied revealing classified information and the details of the inspector general’s investigation has yet to be made public.

The morning meeting also comes as there is consternation within the top ranks because of Hegseth’s decision to abruptly fire top military officials and his vow to cut back the number of four-star generals and other senior officers.

Critics on Capitol Hill, including a small number of Republicans, have sharply criticized Hegseth, and GOP Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, who isn’t seeking re-election, has said Hegseth should be fired.

But Hegseth’s loyalty to the White House appears to have provided him for now with the support of the person who matters most: Trump.