Fresh Air · 2026-10-07 · 45 min · 7,696 words

How Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth brought the culture wars to the military

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This is Fresh Air. I'm Dave Davies. When President Donald Trump nominated Pete Hegseth Secretary of Defense, he said he liked Hegseth's central casting looks and tough warrior mentality. In a speech at the US Marine Corps base Quantico in Virginia last week. Hegseth told an audience of junior officers and enlisted leaders they should be proud of the culture change he's brought to the military.

The only focus as you know. In your formations should be training, readiness, accountability, discipline, and lethality. And when you pursue those things. You don't have to walk on eggshells. No more social engineering, no more weaponized IG policies. The complainers, the ideologues, and the poor performers are no longer in the driver's seat.

No more silly power point trainings or Drag Queen shows. No more diversity quotas. No more gender pronouns. No more identity months.

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