'It is what it is', Pete Hegseth's shocking statement on new military standards excluding women from combat roles
Posted on: Sep 30, 2025 20:00 IST | Posted by: Hindustantimes
US defence secretarial assistant Pete Hegseth has declared that the US military will require fighters to reach the “highest male standard” in physical fitness testing, recognising that this may exclude some women from service.
“Standards must be uniform, gender neutral, and high,” Hegseth urged American military leaders in an unprecedented speech at a base bar near Washington, DC.
In front of hundreds of military commanders, the Defense Secretary reaffirmed his goal for a “warrior ethos” at the Pentagon, which includes undergoing a physical fitness exam twice a year and achieving particular height and weight standards.
Also Read: Pete Hegseth's ‘pull-up’ videos surface after big Quantico speech: ‘Can you do one?’
He, however, went on to make an anti-women remark, saying that if new military protocols halt women from serving in combat then “it is what it is.”
Stressing that this is not about “preventing” women from serving, Hegseth said, “We very much value the impact of female troops. Our female officers and NCOs are the absolute best in the world. But when it comes to any job that requires physical power to perform in combat, those physical standards must be high and gender neutral.”
“If women can make it, excellent. If not, it is what it is. If that means no women qualify for some combat jobs, so be it. That is not the intent, but it could be the result, so be it ... It will also mean that we mean that weak men won’t qualify because we’re not playing games. This is combat. This is life or death,” he added.
With almost 231,000 members, women accounted for 17.3% of the US active-duty military in 2021. According to a War Department demographics study that year, they made up 21.4% of the National Guard.
As Hegseth walked off the platform, the crowd, which consisted of senior enlisted soldiers and generals, was largely silent save for the sound of hundreds of boots snapping to attention. There was hardly any visual or auditory response from them.
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