Pete Hegseth, the American Secretary of Defense, emphasized the need to adopt a wartime mentality and imposed strict physical fitness standards for military personnel: "It is completely unacceptable to see generals and admirals overweight in the halls of the Pentagon."

At a precedent-setting meeting at the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth emphasized the need for a wartime mentality in the face of global threats. He urged generals and admirals to be good leaders and promoted strict physical fitness standards, including regular testing and a ban on beards. Hegseth also addressed the issue of physical standards for women. He also announced a review of the definitions of toxic leadership, acknowledging that the terms have been used as weapons.