Hegseth Comments On Recent Report On Troop Fitness
In a bold and uncompromising announcement, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a rallying cry to restore the physical readiness of America's armed forces, promising nothing less than a sweeping overhaul of military fitness standards.
Responding to a troubling Military Times report revealing that more than two-thirds of reserve troops do not meet prescribed weight guidelines, Hegseth made his stance unmistakably clear: "We will be FIT, not FAT!"
In a forceful post on X Friday morning, Hegseth blasted the military’s current state of readiness. “Completely unacceptable. This is what happens when standards are IGNORED — and this is what we are changing," he declared. His message signaled an end to lax enforcement and a renewed focus on physical excellence as a non-negotiable cornerstone of military service.
Completely unacceptable.
This is what happens when standards are IGNORED — and this is what we are changing. REAL fitness & weight standards are here.
We will be FIT, not FAT. pic.twitter.com/KWMlFbS1c8
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) April 25, 2025
The numbers behind his outrage are staggering. According to a new study by the American Security Project (ASP), an estimated 68% of National Guard and reserve troops are either overweight or obese. The situation is even more alarming within the National Guard specifically, where a shocking 21% of personnel are classified as obese.
While active duty service members also face similar issues, the challenge is compounded for reservists, who split their time between civilian life and military service.
Nonetheless, the ASP report emphasized that the health risks — ranging from type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease to stroke and heart failure — threaten not just individual well-being, but national security itself.
Hegseth, a longtime advocate for military reform, made it clear that these troubling trends will no longer be tolerated. Under his leadership, the Pentagon plans to implement rigorous fitness standards and, crucially, to enforce them consistently. It’s a clear warning: physical excellence is not a relic of the past — it will be the benchmark of the future.
At the heart of Hegseth’s mission is a return to first principles: the United States military must once again be the most formidable and lethal fighting force on the planet. And in that vision, there is no room for complacency or compromise.