Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in an address Tuesday to the military’s top leaders waded back into a topic that nearly derailed his confirmation early this year and helped elevate his voice as a Fox News commentator — the fitness of women to serve in combat.

Hegseth told hundreds of military commanders at a hastily called gathering in Virginia that there would be new directives to ensure that the requirement for every position in combat “returns to the highest male standard.”

He said that “if that means no women qualify for some combat jobs, so be it,” while stressing that the military will continue to welcome women into its ranks.

“I don’t want my son serving alongside troops who are out of shape, or in combat units with females who can’t meet the same combat arms physical standards as men,” he said. “This job is life and death. Standards must be met.”

Allison Jaslow, who served two combat tours in Iraq with the Army, said that we are a nation that wants to fight our wars with all volunteers and we should want every able-bodied American who is willing and wants to serve their country to raise their hand and do so.

Jaslow said Hegseth already lasted longer than many people thought.

"It's a real shame. I just, my heart really goes out to the people who are still serving because they really deserve so much better leadership than they're getting right now out of their Commander in Chief and their Secretary of Defense. My bottom line takeaway from today's incident, which seemed a little bit like a school assembly that we flew people in across the globe for, "said Jaslow.

Hegseth's remarks rekindled criticism of the defense secretary that arose after President Donald Trump nominated him to the post last year and renewed concerns about his approach to women in leadership and front-line roles.

Hegseth’s house-cleaning at the top ranks of the military has included a disproportionate number of women, including an admiral and vice admiral in the Navy and the commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Several prominent women who are combat veterans pushed back on Hegseth’s remarks to emphasize that women who serve in combat roles already are subjected to the same standards as men.

Those standards apply to specific combat special operations, infantry, armor, pararescue and other jobs regardless of age or gender.