Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth didn’t hold back during his latest congressional testimony, declaring the official death of the military’s diversity, equity, and inclusion agenda. “DEI is dead,” Hegseth said flatly. “We’re back to building warriors. Men are men, women are women, and our mission is victory—not virtue signaling.”
. @SecDef “We are focused on what is important. WARFIGHTING and WARRIORS…
DEI IS DEAD. We replaced it with a colorblind gender-neutral merit-based approach.” pic.twitter.com/TgIeCdN94W
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) June 10, 2025
Hegseth laid out the Trump administration’s hard reset on Pentagon priorities, making it clear that the days of woke indoctrination in the armed forces are over. In place of progressive politics, he promised a return to the basics: combat readiness, mission focus, and merit-based advancement.
Quoting the Soldier’s Creed, Hegseth reminded lawmakers that the military’s purpose is to fight and win wars—not to host pronoun seminars. “If you want pronoun training, go to college,” he said. “If you want to defend your country, welcome to the U.S. military.”
Under Hegseth’s direction, the Pentagon has:
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Eliminated DEI training across all branches
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Shut down DEI offices at the Department of Defense
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Restored gender-neutral but biologically grounded standards
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Removed politically charged material from military libraries and internal education programs
The Secretary confirmed that these changes are already producing results. Recruitment numbers have begun to rise again, particularly among young men who had previously turned away from a military they saw as politically compromised.
Hegseth’s stance reflects a broader philosophy shared by President Trump: a military that spends more time on lethality and less on lectures. “We’re building fighters, not feelings,” he said.
In an era where Democrat-led institutions continue to push ideology over excellence, Hegseth’s blunt message stands out: America’s enemies aren’t worried about inclusion—they’re preparing for conflict. And under Trump’s Pentagon, so is the United States.