In A Room Full Of Men, Hegseth Called For A Military Culture Shift From ‘Woke’ To ‘Warrior’

This story was originally reported by Mariel Padilla of The 19th . Meet Mariel and read more of her reporting on gender, politics and policy .

In an extremely unusual move, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called hundreds of generals and admirals stationed from around the world to convene in Virginia on Tuesday — with about a week’s notice. He announced 10 new directives that would shift the military’s culture away from what he called “woke garbage” and toward a “warrior ethos.”

“This administration has done a great deal since Day 1 to remove the social justice, politically-correct, toxic ideological garbage that had infected our department,” Hegseth said. “No more identity months, DEI offices or dudes in dresses. No more climate change worship. No more division, distraction of gen