Veterans and military groups are furious after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth summoned hundreds of top military officials to a speech subjecting them to a familiar barrage of right-wing grievances about the armed forces, including new guidance that could effectively exclude women from combat roles.
Hegseth raged against “woke garbage” and “stupid rules of engagement” that he claims are unjustly restraining service members. He also smeared transgender service members as “dudes in dresses” and announced plans to roll back troops’ abilities to report unequal treatment based on race, gender, sexuality or religion, making it easier for personnel to bully and haze service members without consequence.
