Army Secretary’s Commitment to Physical Standards with U.S. Troops

The Army Department has shared a photo of Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth working out alongside U.S. troops in Malaysia, highlighting his message that soldiers should focus on fitness. Hegseth participated in morning physical training (PT) in Kuala Lumpur, proclaiming, “From top to bottom, we’re fit, not fat!”

This announcement comes shortly after Hegseth proclaimed that combat personnel must adhere to stringent physical standards to keep their positions. During an address at Marine Corps Base Quantico at the end of September, he emphasized the need for “ruthless, calm, and common sense standards.”

In this new initiative, Hegseth mandated that all Joint Forces members should take physical fitness exams twice a year and meet specific height and weight standards. Additionally, regular physical training will be codified into military regulations. He remarked, “If the Secretary of the Army can do hard PT regularly, then every member of the joint force can too.”

Hegseth criticized what he called a “fat military,” pointing fingers at “fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon,” and asserted that the physical standards for U.S. military personnel had been declining, necessitating a change.

In a related note, President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order, returning the Department of Defense to the Department of the Army, implying a focus on strength and resolve. When Hegseth introduced these stringent requirements just after the executive order, he stated, “The days of the Department of Defense are over.” He underscored that the sole mission of the reborn War Department is to prepare for and win wars.

The Pentagon referred inquiries to Hegseth’s remarks on social media and his recent speech at Quantico.