U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced a major shift in military policy Sunday, declaring that all combat roles in the armed forces will now be held to the same high standards, regardless of sex. The statement came in a video posted to X as Hegseth was flying back from a defense trip to Japan.

Speaking from the plane, Hegseth held up a new memorandum on Combat Arms Standards and said, “For far too long, we’ve allowed standards to slip and different standards for men and women… That’s not acceptable.”

C’mon. Nearly 70% of US troops are overweight or obese, research report says | Stars and Stripes https://t.co/BF265Qu0pg

— Lara Logan (@laralogan) March 16, 2025

The memorandum, signed by Hegseth and now going into effect, directs each military branch to review their current standards and align them to a single, uncompromising level for all combat positions.

For far too long, we have allowed standards to slip. We’ve had different standards for men/women serving in combat arms MOS’s and jobs….

That’s not acceptable, and it changes right now! pic.twitter.com/Zn9OyBew6G

— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) March 31, 2025

The move marks a departure from previous policies that allowed gender-based differences in fitness and qualification measures for certain roles. Critics of those policies have long argued that they weakened readiness and created double standards within the ranks.

I'm tired of seeing dishonest individuals crying "sexism" for these three fat lazy Teletubbies who couldn't pass a physical fitness test if their life depended on it. Not meeting standards in the military will cost lives. There is zero excuse for obesity in the military. https://t.co/GvBvHVgvhd pic.twitter.com/dXx46MJqYl

— J.R. Salzman (@jrsalzman) March 21, 2025

“We need to have the same standard, male or female, in our combat roles,” Hegseth said. “To ensure our men and women… have the best possible leaders and the highest possible standards that are not based at all on your sex.”

Hegseth’s trip to Japan included meetings with American troops, as well as allies and partners in the region. He said the broader goal is to reestablish deterrence in the Indo-Pacific and strengthen the credibility of the U.S. military in the face of growing global threats.

The Defense Department’s shift away from gender-based standards comes amid growing calls from veterans and active-duty personnel to prioritize warfighting capability over social engineering.

Hegseth confirmed that the services will begin reviewing standards immediately and pledged, “soon we will have nothing but the highest and equal standards for men and women in combat.”