U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has instructed senior military officers that he no longer wants to see “overweight generals and admirals” or troops out of shape, emphasizing the importance of strict physical fitness standards across the U.S. armed forces.
“It is completely unacceptable to see overweight generals and admirals in the hallways of the Pentagon, leading commands at home and abroad. It is a bad image,” Hegseth said during an extraordinary meeting with officers at Quantico, Virginia. “It is bad and it does not represent us.”
Hegseth has consistently stressed that physical fitness is essential as part of a broader effort to reform the “warrior ethos” of the U.S. military during his tenure under President Donald Trump.
He cited his own personal fitness routine as an example of the standard expected of all U.S. service members.
“Everything starts with fitness and appearance,” he said. “If the Secretary of Defense can regularly perform challenging physical training, then every member of our joint forces can do it too.”
Under Hegseth’s directive, all members of the joint force, regardless of rank, must meet height and weight requirements twice a year. The order aims to ensure that American troops maintain high readiness and uphold the professional image of the military worldwide.
