5 highlights from Pete Hegseth's speech to military leaders: Done with 'woke garbage'

1. Hegseth condemns ‘woke garbage’: ‘We are done with that s—’ 

“This administration has done a great deal from day one to remove the social justice, politically correct and toxic ideological garbage that had infected our department, to rip out the politics,” Hegseth said, insisting that there would be “no more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses.”

“No more climate change worship. No more division, distraction or gender delusions. No more debris," he added. "As I’ve said before, and will say again, we are done with that s—. I’ve made it my mission to uproot the obvious distractions that made us less capable and less lethal.” 

Hegseth touched upon what he denounced as “woke garbage” later in his speech as he reaffirmed to military leaders, “You are not civilians” because “you are set apart for a distinct purpose.” He also encouraged leaders in the armed forces “stop acting and thinking like civilians,” lamenting that “an entire generation of generals and admirals” were forced to follow “civilian policies set by foolish and reckless political leaders.” 

“They had to put out dizzying DEI and LGBTQI+ statements. They were told females and males are the same thing, or that males who think they’re females are totally normal. They were told that we need a green fleet and electric tanks. They were told to kick out Americans who refused an emergency vaccine,” he recalled.