The Pentagon has instructed military commanders to nominate only the fittest and most impeccably groomed service members to attend Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's upcoming State of the Force address, according to an internal email seen by the Wall Street Journal. The directive requires candidates to pass the Army's waist-to-height ratio and fitness test, maintain flawless grooming standards "with no exception," and demonstrate top performance, integrity and leadership. The move follows Hegseth's speech a year earlier in which he railed against "beardos" and "fat generals," reinforcing his push to strip what he calls woke politics and DEI from the armed forces.

Nominated troops must be rated consistently as top performers, show a clear record of discipline and selfless service, and demonstrate strong presence and sound judgement under pressure; those selected will also get to work out with Hegseth. Similar instructions were reportedly sent to other military commands. Hegseth has said the fitness standards should be gender-neutral rather than aimed at excluding women, arguing that "weak men won't qualify" either, and has vowed to restore tougher, "scary" training methods. His blunt approach has drawn criticism from some former defence officials, with one branding last year's Quantico address "unhinged" and questioning Hegseth's authority to lecture senior officers on military standards.