Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a forceful speech to graduating cadets at United States Military Academy on Saturday, tearing into diversity programs, political correctness, and what he described as years of “woke” leadership inside the U.S. military.
Speaking during a rainy commencement ceremony overlooking the Hudson River, Hegseth framed the address as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to restore military standards and warrior culture throughout the Armed Forces.
“We saw woke and weak leaders trying to make West Point look like woke Princeton,” Hegseth told the graduating cadets. “They tried to introduce diversity and inclusion studies. They hired professors who advocated for anti-American ideologies right here in these halls, but no more.”
Hegseth, who attended Princeton University after declining admission to West Point, sharply criticized military leadership that embraced diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives during previous administrations.
“Let me be perfectly clear, you are not an ‘army of one,’ and you are certainly not an army of woke,” Hegseth declared. “You are an American army, an army of warriors.”
The secretary argued that DEI policies weakened discipline, lowered standards, and undermined military traditions.
“You’ve seen standards lowered, you’ve seen an obsession with race and gender, you’ve seen the watering down of discipline, codes weakened, and traditions tossed aside in the name of political correctness,” he said.
Hegseth also criticized efforts in recent years to remove Confederate names, monuments, and artwork from military installations and academies.
“Statues taken down, paintings placed in the basement,” he said. “I’m here to tell you the slow slide here at West Point, and across the United States Army, is over.”
Referencing one of the military’s most debated modern slogans, Hegseth called the phrase “our diversity is our strength” “the single dumbest phrase in military history.”
“Diversity is not our strength. Unity is our strength,” he said to applause from the crowd.
The speech comes as the Trump administration continues aggressively reshaping military leadership, recruitment priorities, and cultural policies throughout the Department of Defense.
Hegseth also highlighted recent recruiting gains under President Donald Trump, arguing the military is regaining focus after years of ideological distractions.
At one point during the speech, Hegseth jokingly invoked Trump while announcing a pardon for cadets who committed “minor infractions or violations.”
“As President Trump might say,” Hegseth joked, “a complete and total pardon.”
The speech concluded with the cadet leadership presenting Hegseth with a ceremonial sword as graduates prepared to officially commission into the United States Army.
The post Pete Hegseth Blasts DEI And ‘Woke Military’ During Fiery West Point Speech appeared first on Real News Now.
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