(AURN News) — America’s top generals sat through a 45-minute address from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.
It was not a typical military briefing. He criticized “fat generals,” mocked “dudes in dresses,” and said women should be held to male combat standards, while ordering troops to shave, cut their hair and take fitness tests twice a year.
He also vowed to eliminate DEI programs, roll back rules of engagement he called “stupid,” and give commanders more authority to intimidate and kill enemies.
At one point, he said, “to our enemies, FAFO.” The acronym is short for a profane expression meaning “mess around and find out.”
Inside the Pentagon, many officials dismissed the meeting as more like a Trump campaign rally than a serious update. Some worried the real danger is not China or Russia, but the administration’s suggestion that U.S. troops could be deployed into American cities.
The event came on the eve of a likely government shutdown, leaving many defense leaders questioning why they were pulled from urgent work to attend what some described as an inexcusable strategic risk.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.
