Pete Hegseth

(AP Photograph/Alex Brandon)

Embattled Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to whip chubby reserve troops into form on Friday, maintaining that the U.S. armed forces can be “FIT, now not FAT.”

“Totally unacceptable,” declared Hegseth in a submit on X that integrated a screenshot a Armed forces Occasions article headlined “More than two-thirds of reserve troops are chubby: Report.”

“This is what happens when requirements are IGNORED — and this is what we’re changing. REAL fitness & weight standards are right here,” persevered Hegseth. “We can be FIT, no longer FAT.”

Totally unacceptable.

That is what happens when requirements are IGNORED — and this is what we are changing. REAL fitness & weight requirements are right here.

We will be FIT, now not FAT. %twitter.com/KWMlFbS1c8

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) April 25, 2025

From the Defense force Instances document:

Greater than two-thirds of Defend and Reserve troops are overweight, doubtlessly limiting their readiness and talent to installation in fortify of national security, in line with a brand new find out about released by using the American Safety Project this week.

“With the diminished measurement of the [active-duty] power and lengthening demands on the Nationwide Defend and reserves, provider members separated due to obesity and its comorbidities are important personnel the Armed Forces can’t have enough money to lose,” researchers wrote within the record.

The Protection Division’s latest information on weight problems in the reserve parts dates back to 2018, when 65% of personnel had been labeled as overweight or obese. ASP researchers now estimate that determine is nearer to 68%.

Previous research have proven the highest charges of weight issues are among Army National Shield individuals, with about 21% of personnel meeting the definition for obesity.

In his opening remark before the Senate Armed Products and Services Committee all over his affirmation hearing, Hegseth declared that, “The Safeguard Division below Donald Trump will reach Peace Thru Potential. And in pursuing these The us First national safety goals, we can stay patriotically a-political and stridently Constitutional. In contrast to the current administration, politics must play no phase in militia issues. We aren’t Republicans or Democrats—we are American warriors. Our requirements will be excessive, and they are going to be equal (not equitable, that is a very different phrase).”

“We want to make sure every warrior is totally certified on their assigned weapon machine, each
pilot is fully certified and current on the aircraft they’re flying, and every basic or flag
officer is chosen for management based totally only on performance, readiness, and advantage,” he delivered on the time.

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