Like so many other nominees in President Donald Trump’s second-term Cabinet, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has entered his new role with a clear mission to correct course after four years of Joe Biden’s leadership — not to mention generations of waste and fraud at the federal level in general.
In his role at the helm of the Pentagon, Hegseth has prioritized the battle-readiness of America’s service members, particularly as it relates to their physical fitness:
Stronger people are harder to kill = Fact https://t.co/pokVDQY7sk
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) February 9, 2025
He highlighted the importance of strength training in one recent social media post, which showed him lifting weights and running with active members of the military:
Strength equals readiness. Kicked off the day with PT alongside the warriors of 1/10 SFG.
No bureacracy—just sharp minds, strong bodies, and a mission-first mindset. pic.twitter.com/9lATvWhabH
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) February 11, 2025
A particularly massive individual dominated the frame in one photo, sparking a flurry of comments, reactions, and memes:
— Truth Wins (@dazzle900) February 12, 2025
— FDO Industries (@FDholsters) February 11, 2025
Hegseth himself responded to the viral image, as Breitbart reported:
“Yeah, I saw the guy that I was running with — the real-life Hulk,” he said. “He looks like me if I ate spinach or something. I mean, the guy’s a beast.”
Hegseth’s first international trip to Europe this week started off with physical training, or “PT” in military-speak, with members of the 10th Special Forces Group stationed at Stuttgart, Germany.
Photos of that PT session went viral, particularly one of Hegseth running behind a smiling soldier of a much larger stature.
ADVERTISEMENTSocial media users dubbed the guy “the Tank” or “the Unit” and some turned the image of him and the defense secretary running into funny memes.
Hegseth said he did not want to reveal the soldier’s name, but said he was one of the leaders of 10th Group.
“He’s just a beast, and I hope he’s internet famous beyond his dreams, because that’s the kind of image I want of what the American military looks like — not me barely surviving behind him trying to survive 10th group PT,” he said.
“But I’m glad that’s a visual that people have of our military,” he said. “We want fit-to-fight guys and gals ready to go.”
Many other commenters were more impressed by Hegseth’s fitness and the fact that any sitting Defense Secretary would train with active service members:
Is this the first SecDef to do PT w/the troops? Highest rank I've ever seen was a 2-star (MG Perkins), and it was a dog-and-pony, not a regular workout. Had a 1-star (BG Jeffrey Snow) who was hardcore and did hard PT with my unit (ran the Incline at Carson).
— North Shore Farmer (@Haleiwa_Farmer) February 11, 2025
How far we’ve come! Ty, Secretary Hegseth! pic.twitter.com/31kzQaTgSe
— KK Berd 🇺🇸 (@keny_berd) February 11, 2025
Pundits like Fox Business Network‘s Larry Kudlow were clearly in favor of Hegseth’s confirmation, seeing it as a breath of fresh air into an increasingly woke and mismanaged Defense Department. The following excerpt is from an analysis piece Kudlow wrote last month:
Rather than another bureaucrat, or even a high-ranking general, or somebody from the military-industrial boardroom, Mr. Hegseth would be a soldier’s defense secretary – emphasizing his “dust on the boots” experience on the battlefield. Take a listen:
PETE HEGSETH: “I’ve led troops in combat. I’ve been on patrol for days. I’ve pulled the trigger downrange, heard bullets whiz by, flex, cuffed insurgents, called in close air support, led medevac, dodged IEDs, pulled out dead bodies and knelt before a battlefield cross. This is not academic for me. This is my life.”
Standards will be high in a Hegseth Pentagon, but woke and DEI will be very low.
Hegseth, a highly decorated veteran who served in both the Afghanistan and Iraq combat zones, said again and again he wants warriors, readiness, and lethality above all else.
Here’s a clip of Hegseth leaving Poland following the recent visit:
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