Washington, D.C. — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week made headlines after delivering blunt remarks on military culture and policy, signaling a dramatic shift in the Pentagon’s approach to diversity and inclusion under the Trump administration.
Speaking at the Special Operations Forces Week 2025 event in Tampa, Florida, Hegseth declared that the U.S. military is “leaving wokeness and weakness behind,” drawing cheers from a conservative audience. “No more pronouns. No more climate change obsession. No more emergency vaccine mandates. No more dudes in dresses — we’re done with that sh*t,” he said.
The comments came on the heels of a newly issued directive from the Department of Defense, ordering the discharge of transgender service members diagnosed with gender dysphoria. The policy, which follows a recent Supreme Court decision allowing enforcement of the transgender ban, gives active-duty personnel until June 6 to voluntarily separate. Reservists face a July 7 deadline.
“This is about military readiness and restoring focus on lethality and cohesion,” a senior defense official said, defending the move. The Pentagon estimates that approximately 1,000 service members could be impacted by the policy shift.
The decision has sparked fierce criticism from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, civil liberties organizations, and some lawmakers who argue that the change erases progress made under previous administrations. Critics warn it will result in the loss of trained, capable individuals and damage morale within the ranks.
“This is not about readiness — it’s about discrimination,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO of GLAAD. “Transgender Americans have served honorably for years, and this policy is an unjust attack on their service and identity.”
Hegseth, a former Fox News commentator and veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, was appointed as Secretary of Defense during Donald Trump’s second term. He has positioned himself as a staunch opponent of what he terms “woke ideology” in the military, frequently criticizing past diversity training and inclusion policies.
Military analysts say the shift reflects a broader cultural reset underway within the Department of Defense. “This is part of a deliberate pivot,” said retired Gen. James Cartwright. “The administration is prioritizing traditional military values as they define them, even if it comes at the cost of alienating certain communities.”
While supporters see the move as a return to discipline and focus, opponents say it risks politicizing the military and undermining the trust of those who wear the uniform.
The Department of Defense has not released detailed guidance on how the discharges will be handled or whether affected service members will receive transitional support.
Watch the video of Pete Hegseth declaring an end to ‘wokeness’:
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