Topline
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth showed support Monday for the replacement of a small group of Texas National Guard troops deployed in Illinois who did not meet fitness standards, after a photo of some troops sparked ridicule on social media following Hegseth’s comments to generals last month blasting the physical appearance of some soldiers.
Hegseth spoke about physical fitness in the armed forces during an address to high-ranking military officials last month. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
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Key Facts
Hegseth said “Standards are back at The @DeptofWar” in a tweet, reposting a Task & Purpose article that reported “a small group” from the 200 Texas National Guard troops sent to Illinois last week were replaced after not meeting certain standards.
The National Guard Bureau, the federal agency overseeing National Guard forces, released a statement last week saying “National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are required to meet service-specific height, weight and physical fitness standards at all times,” according to Task & Purpose.
The National Guard did not provide context for what prompted its statement and did not mention photos of some Texas National Guard members that were mocked on social media for their heavyset appearance, though it is not clear if the members pictured were among the replaced.
The bureau’s statement added members not in compliance with the fitness standards “will be returned to their home station, and replacements who do meet standards will take their places.”
Forbes has reached out to the Pentagon for comment.
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What Has Hegseth Said About The Armed Forces’ Fitness Standards?
“Frankly, it’s tiring to look out at combat formations, or really any formation, and see fat troops,” Hegseth said last month in an address to U.S. generals. “Likewise, it’s completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon and leading commands around the country and the world. It’s a bad look. It is bad, and it’s not who we are.”
Tangent
President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops in Illinois was blocked for two weeks on Oct. 9 by District Court Judge April Perry, who said the court evidence showed National Guard deployment may lead to “civil unrest” and will “only add fuel to the fire.” The Trump administration has hit legal hurdles after deploying or trying to deploy the National Guard to Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon. It has found the most success in deploying troops to Washington, D.C., where there are significantly fewer legal hurdles for Trump to clear. Thousands of troops have been activated there as part of the president’s crackdown on crime in the city, where violent crime was already at a 30-year low, according to federal data.
Key Background
Hegseth has implemented a twice-a-year physical training test for all members of the joint force, which includes the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard. Height and weight requirements will have to be met twice a year, according to Hegseth. The defense secretary also pushed for new grooming standards, saying “beards, long hair and superficial individual expression” were not acceptable. “Unfortunately, we have had leaders who either refuse to call BS and enforce standards, or leaders who felt like they were not allowed to enforce standards,” Hegseth added.
Further Reading
‘Fat Generals’ Now Unacceptable, Hegseth Warns Top Military Leaders (Forbes)
Judge Blocks Trump’s Chicago National Guard Deployment For Two Weeks (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2025/10/13/hegseth-backs-replacing-national-guard-not-meeting-standards-after-photo-of-texas-troops-went-viral/
