'No more beardos': US army grooming standards and 'fat troops' criticised

The US defence secretary has said he is ending "woke" culture and political correctness, telling top brass: "We are done with that s***." Pete Hegseth said diversity and inclusion policies would be rowed back, with changes including "gender-neutral" or "male-level" fitness standards for everyone.

He also hit out at "fat troops" and said height and weight requirements would be brought in - as well as twice-yearly fitness tests. President Donald Trump was at the event and told reporters beforehand he was prepared to fire any generals or admirals he disliked "on the spot".

Speaking in Quantico, Virginia, he said the new approach was "bringing back a focus on fitness, ability, character and strength [because] the purposes of American military is not to protect anyone's feelings". Mr Hegseth drove home that message as he said the days of "the woke department" were over.

"The era of politically correct, overly sensitive don't-hurt-anyone's-feelings leadership ends right now at every level," he said. "No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses, no more climate change worship, no more division, distraction or gender delusions," added the newly rebranded secretary of war.

Mr Hegseth said the changes were not intended to stop women serving, but "physical standards must be high and gender neutral" for combat roles. "If that means no women qualify for some combat jobs, so be it.

That is not the intent, but it could be the result... 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." Hundreds of US military officials from around the world had been summoned abruptly to the Marine Corps base without knowing why until Tuesday morning.

The gathering included admirals and generals called in from conflict zones in the Middle East. Mr Hegseth told them grooming standards would also be raised, with beards, long hair and "individual expression" now prohibited - "the era of unprofessional appearance is over.

No more beardos.