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‘Maga loyalty test’: Chinese weigh in on Hegseth and Trump’s military meeting
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth criticized military leaders' fitness and diversity policies at Quantico, citing concerns over readiness as 70 percent of troops are reportedly overweight, officials said.
- On September 30, 2025, Pete Hegseth convened a short‑notice meeting at Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia, attended by President Donald Trump and about 800 commanders summoned worldwide.
- Framing the issue as institutional, Hegseth blamed diversity initiatives and obesity for decades of military decay, calling the Pentagon a "woke department" and pledging to roll back these policies.
- Detailing his agenda, Hegseth said `It all starts with physical fitness and appearance`, ordered twice‑yearly PT tests and weight checks, and pushed grooming standards, saying `We don't have a military full of Nordic pagans` during his 45 minutes of remarks.
- Critics seized on the hypocrisy given U.S. fast‑food culture and symbolism, President Donald Trump’s McDonald’s gestures, and the CDC obesity statistic: 42% of adults are obese, arguing fat‑shaming demeans service members.
- Analysts warned the meeting risks politicizing the military and nudging officers toward personal loyalty over constitutional duty, while Chinese state media and international commentators framed it as politically charged and lacking strategic necessity.
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Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
What happenedPresident Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Tuesday addressed hundreds of U.S. generals and admirals hastily summoned from around the world to a Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia. Hegseth said he planned to toughen physical fitness and grooming standards and root out “fat generals” and “woke” ideologies that he claimed hamstrung the military’s lethality. Trump said he wanted the military to fight the “enemy withi…
·Washington, United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources15
Leaning Left7Leaning Right2Center1Last UpdatedBias Distribution70% Left
Bias Distribution
- 70% of the sources lean Left
70% Left
L 70%
R 20%
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