The Army Department announced that Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth will give the opening address at the U.S. Military Academy’s graduation ceremony in West Point, New York, this Saturday. It’s important to note that this will be Hegseth’s first official visit to the Academy, even though he didn’t attend as a cadet; he graduated from Princeton University back in 2003.
During his speech, Hegseth took aim at “woke weak leaders,” expressing concerns that they might transform West Point into something resembling “woke Princeton.” He remarked on initiatives surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), suggesting they were misguided.
“They embraced the DEI bandwagon and tried to introduce diversity and inclusion research… No more. West Point is special. It’s beyond politics. Success here is based on merit. It’s how you perform that matters,” he stated.
He also voiced strong opposition to DEI programs and reiterated support for a previous executive order from Donald Trump that bans transgender individuals from military service.
“You are healthy, you’re disciplined. You’ve seen standards lowered, an obsession with race and gender, and discipline weakened. Traditions have been dismissed under the guise of political correctness. Let me be clear: You are not an army of the Awakened. You are an army of warriors,” Hegseth asserted.
To motivate the cadets, he referenced conservative activist Charlie Kirk, advising them that both good and bad times, “will pass.”
Hegseth also mentioned his intent to “untie” military personnel, emphasizing that leadership should not be constrained by bureaucracy. He pointed out that critical decisions should not be made from a distance.
“Your hands are free,” he said, alluding to his earlier announcement regarding a stringent review of military lawyers.
