Retired General Stanley McChrystal criticized Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's macho-style, saying that the number of beefy service people needed in a modern army was "miniscule."
"In today's military, the number of people who really need to have big biceps and be able to kick open the door is minuscule, because most of the force is intelligence, communications, logistics — all the enablers that allow you to, with great accuracy, put in that very small number of operators," McChrystal said in an interview with the New York Times.
McChrystal continued that the "all people should look like me" posture of Hegseth would be a disaster. "I think the idea that we wouldn't want gay or transgender service members to serve — if they're good — is preposterous. I want whoever's good to serve," McChrystal said.
In 2025, the military banned transgender individuals from serving.
Hegseth has embraced a bravado that has included changing his title from Secretary of Defense to Secretary of War. In his briefings regarding the Iran war Hegseth has said that America was attacking without "mercy" and that the Iranians knew they were "toast."
"This was never meant to be a fair fight, and it is not a fair fight. We are punching them while they're down, which is exactly how it should be," Hegseth said March 4.
Likewise, the White House X account has used various memes and pop culture clips in communications about the war.
JUSTICE THE AMERICAN WAY. 🇺🇸🔥 pic.twitter.com/0502N6a3rL
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 6, 2026
"I'm disappointed by the current atmosphere that is communicated from the top. I had the honor and opportunity to serve with some of the most elite forces, people who really did some extraordinary things, but they didn't beat their chest about it," McChrystal said in the New York Times interview. "They weren't braggadocious. That's just not the way they behaved."
