Donald Trump's pick for defence secretary, Pete Hegseth , sparked a wave of controversy with his remarks against women serving in combat roles. In a viral clip from his appearance on the Shawn Ryan Show podcast, he argued that physical differences between men and women, such as bone density and muscle strength, create challenges in meeting the demands of combat.
Hegseth said, “Everything about men and women serving together makes the situation more complicated. And complication in combat means casualties are worse.”
"Everybody knows between bone density and lung capacity and muscle strength. Men and women are just different. And if there's some, you know, hard charging female that meets that standard, great, cool. Join the infantry battalion. But that is not what's happened," he added.
Hegseth, who was a former Fox News host, criticised the military’s evolving standards, claiming that they are increasingly being tailored to integrate women into traditionally male-dominated roles. “They’re not getting tougher. If they were lowering the standard to become a Navy SEAL just to let women in, that’s going to change the capabilities and ethos of the Navy SEALs,” he argued. Hegseth suggested that, in response to political pressure, standards are subtly being relaxed to encourage female participation.
"They're going to change the standards. They're going to push for quotas. We have numerous quotes in the book of no, no, these standards aren't changing. They're just evolving. They're just evolving to meet the needs of today. They're not getting tougher, I tell you that," he said.
"And so I'm surprised there hasn't been more blowback on that already in the book, because I'm straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles ," Trump's defence secretary pick added.
Beyond his stance on combat roles, Hegseth has frequently criticised what he perceives as “woke” policies, particularly diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. He has called for a rollback of these programs within the Pentagon, alleging they weaken the military by diverting focus from merit and operational capability. On the same podcast, he insisted that military leadership should be reshaped, advocating for the dismissal of senior officers involved in DEI policies.
Trump has described Hegseth as “tough, smart, and a true believer in America First,” emphasising that Hegseth’s views reflect an intention to overhaul military culture and reinstate traditional, merit-based standards . Known for his hard-line positions, Hegseth previously advocated for President Trump to pardon soldiers convicted of war crimes and has expressed support for redefining the department of defense as the “War Department.”
Hegseth said, “Everything about men and women serving together makes the situation more complicated. And complication in combat means casualties are worse.”
"Everybody knows between bone density and lung capacity and muscle strength. Men and women are just different. And if there's some, you know, hard charging female that meets that standard, great, cool. Join the infantry battalion. But that is not what's happened," he added.
Trump defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth rips the U.S. military for changing standards for women so they can serve in combat positions.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 13, 2024
This is the common sense take which is exactly why the left is losing their minds over it right now.
“If they were lowering the standard to… pic.twitter.com/lQ5Vm84eXW
Hegseth, who was a former Fox News host, criticised the military’s evolving standards, claiming that they are increasingly being tailored to integrate women into traditionally male-dominated roles. “They’re not getting tougher. If they were lowering the standard to become a Navy SEAL just to let women in, that’s going to change the capabilities and ethos of the Navy SEALs,” he argued. Hegseth suggested that, in response to political pressure, standards are subtly being relaxed to encourage female participation.
"They're going to change the standards. They're going to push for quotas. We have numerous quotes in the book of no, no, these standards aren't changing. They're just evolving. They're just evolving to meet the needs of today. They're not getting tougher, I tell you that," he said.
"And so I'm surprised there hasn't been more blowback on that already in the book, because I'm straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles ," Trump's defence secretary pick added.
Congratulations to my friend and colleague Pete Hegseth. You have served this great nation’s military and you are a wonderful father, husband to Jen and more… with you we win! pic.twitter.com/JIF1xZ3GTG
— HARRISFAULKNER (@HARRISFAULKNER) November 13, 2024
Beyond his stance on combat roles, Hegseth has frequently criticised what he perceives as “woke” policies, particularly diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. He has called for a rollback of these programs within the Pentagon, alleging they weaken the military by diverting focus from merit and operational capability. On the same podcast, he insisted that military leadership should be reshaped, advocating for the dismissal of senior officers involved in DEI policies.
Trump has described Hegseth as “tough, smart, and a true believer in America First,” emphasising that Hegseth’s views reflect an intention to overhaul military culture and reinstate traditional, merit-based standards . Known for his hard-line positions, Hegseth previously advocated for President Trump to pardon soldiers convicted of war crimes and has expressed support for redefining the department of defense as the “War Department.”
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