That caught my attention. The Secretary of Defense said that, and my first thought was, "Huh? What does he mean?"
“No fat troops” at the president’s birthday.Mother JonesInae OhMay 30, 2026In preparation for President Donald Trump’s UFC fight on the White House South Lawn next month, Pentagon officials are hoping to lure hundreds of troops to attend the event. The catch? Troops need to meet strict physical requirements, including weight and height standards, in order to be eligible.That’s according to internal memos seen by the Washington Post, including one demanding that troops “MUST MEET CURRENT WAIST-HEIGHT RATIO” and wear short-sleeved uniforms. Another memo revealed that the Pentagon is soliciting only junior-level officers. In other words: No heavyweights. You better be jacked. And no old people.The report comes as construction for the cage fight begins to take shape, with the beginnings of a beastly octagon-shaped arena popping up on the South Lawn this week. The effort to attract a very specific kind of soldier is something of a theme for the Pentagon under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has effectively gone to war with “fat troops” and what he has deemed as “unacceptable” physical appearances in the military.“Frankly, it’s tiring to look out at combat formations, or really any formation, and see fat troops,” Hegseth said in October. “Likewise, it’s completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon.”
I would like to remind you all that this comes from history. We have seen this obsession with the hyper-masculine "perfect warrior" before.
A central part of Nazi ideology during World War II was the promotion of a highly idealized form of masculinity: physically strong, disciplined, militaristic, emotionally stoic, and devoted to the state.
Sound familiar?
Miltarty.com reported that,
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host and National Guardsman, has attempted to reframe the role of the Pentagon's top civilian leader during his first months on the job, casting himself as a relatable everyman -- "one of the guys."Instead of the standard suit and tie, he regularly appears in khaki hiking pants, rolled-up sleeves that reveal tattooed forearms and occasionally a trucker hat emblazoned with an American flag. He often posts videos and photos of himself working out with troops.But that carefully curated image -- so different from past defense secretaries -- may not be totally landing with the rank and file. Interviews with service members and a review of hundreds of social media posts on message boards suggest the image the Pentagon chief is trying to project is seen by some as overly manufactured and desperate for affirmation.
I think Hegseth has visions of himself as Crusader on a white horse leading the charge carrying the banner of the Crusades.
His visions match those of Germany 90 years ago.
| Theme | Pete Hegseth's "Warrior Ethos" | Nazi "Hyper-Male" Ideal |
|---|---|---|
| Social Status | A separate "breed" of human untethered to the norms of polite society. | An elite racial/military aristocracy (SS) operating above regular law. |
| The Body's Role | Must be physically imposing, fit, uniform, and stripped of personal expression (no "shabby" troops). | Must project "Aryan" physical perfection, symmetry, and absolute uniformity. |
| View on Diversity | Rejects DEI and gender inclusivity as "woke weakness" that dilutes combat lethality. | Rejects diversity as "degeneration" and a contaminant to the collective state. |
| Rules of War | Rejects international constraints and rules of engagement in favor of maximum violence. | Utterly rejected international law, viewing violence as a positive good for state survival. |
Oh, and by the way... just like the Secretary of Defense, Nazi Germany also hated gay people.
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