"Many American Youths Are ‘Too Fat or Too Dumb’ to Join the Military" - U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
By: Israel Adeleke
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports as gathered that the United States of America Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth has ignited controversy after bluntly claiming that many young Americans are “too fat or too dumb” to qualify for military service, citing poor education, criminal records, and medical conditions like ADHD as key obstacles to recruitment.
OTN News further reports as gathered that Hegseth, who made this remarks while addressing military recruiters late this week, praised them for achieving what he described as “historic recruiting numbers.”
According to him, “I know it’s not easy on the basic ingredients for recruiting. Too many of our young people are too fat or too dumb—not dumb, that’s wrong—you know, we’re just not educating them properly, or they’ve got criminal records or ADHD, all these other things.
OTN News observes that despite the criticism, he commended recruiters for identifying “the great Americans who want to serve” and signing them up “in record numbers.”
Speaking further, Hegseth, who emphasized that the recruitment drive aligns with President Donald Trump’s priorities, noticed that the president “pays very close attention” to these figures.
Reflecting on his own journey, Hegseth recounted that he didn’t come from a military family and initially had no knowledge of the differences between Army and Marine Corps.
Subsequently, he credited recruiters and veterans for guiding him into the Army through ROTC at Princeton University.
Furthermore, Hegseth argued that the military must return “to the basics” to make service more appealing, rejecting what he called “social engineering stuff that looks like college campuses.”
He said, “You’re signing up to join a warfighting entity, not a woke institution.”
He stressed that the armed forces are built on “accountability, discipline, meritocracy, standards, readiness, lethality.”
He also unveiled the “Department of War Golden Rule,” urging commanders to lead as they would want their own children treated: “Do onto your formation that which you would want done onto your son or daughter’s formation. If your kid was in this unit, what would you do to make it more lethal, more prepared and ready?”
Criticizing diversity quotas and appearance-based policies, Hegseth insisted leaders should focus on cultivating “the best of the best equipped, trained and ready to go—full stop.”
He noted that recruitment figures are a crucial “feedback loop from the American people” and a reflection of faith in civilian and military leadership.
The Defense Secretary, however, announced a “warrior dividend,” a $1,776 bonus for approximately 1.45 million active-duty service members and reservists, calling it “a meaningful reflection of our gratitude.”
He concluded his speech by thanking recruiters and their families: “Just keep being the best of the best. We are so grateful. Merry Christmas to you all.”
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