U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth summoned hundreds of U.S. military officials to an in-person meeting to declare an end to “woke” culture in the military, explaining why the department's name has been changed from the Department of Defense to the Department of War.

"Good morning, and welcome to the War Department, because the era of the Department of Defense is over," Hegseth began, pointing out that America's first president, George Washington, was the commander in chief of America's Department of War.

"To ensure peace, we must prepare for war," Hegseth said. "Not because we want war. No one here wants war. But it's because we love peace."

Hegseth also announced new directives for troops that include “gender-neutral” or “male-level” standards for physical fitness.

“When it comes to

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