Pete Hegseth apparently isn’t just looking for soldiers to stand beside him at his upcoming speech. He’s looking for the strongest and most attractive men the Pentagon can find to surround him.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the Pentagon sent an email to Army commanders asking them to nominate troops to appear alongside Hegseth at his September 30 “State of the Force” address, with some very specific requirements for the soldiers who make the cut.
The email asks commanders to nominate troops who meet the Army’s preferred “physical standards,” including its waist-to-height ratio and fitness requirements.
And then there’s the grooming.
Candidates must have “impeccable grooming and uniform standards (no exception),” according to the reported email.
They’ll also be invited to participate in a workout with Hegseth.
Taken together, it sounds less like a routine request for soldiers to participate in a military event and more like a casting call for the Pentagon’s version of an ideal fighting man: fit, polished, attractive and ready for the cameras.
The reported email says preferred candidates should be “consistently rated as top performers within their formations,” have a “clear record of integrity, discipline and selfless service,” demonstrate “strong presence, clear communication and sound judgment under pressure,” and serve as role models for their peers and subordinates.
In other words, the troops surrounding Hegseth aren’t supposed to merely be good soldiers.
They are supposed to look like good soldiers, too.
The Pentagon did not immediately comment on the reported email. But chief spokesman Sean Parnell has previously defended Hegseth’s emphasis on appearance and fitness, saying the secretary expects service members to uphold professional standards involving “appearance, fitness, and discipline,” including hair, weight and grooming.
Hegseth’s fixation on the physical appearance of troops has been a recurring feature of his tenure at the Pentagon.
In March 2025, he ordered a review of military fitness, body-composition and grooming standards, including rules concerning beards.
Months later, he called for a “clean-shaven military.”
Then came his extraordinary lecture to senior generals and admirals at Marine Corps Base Quantico last year, where Hegseth laid out his vision of a more physically demanding military and railed against what he described as “unprofessional appearance.”
“Today, at my direction, the era of unprofessional appearance is over,” Hegseth declared.
“No more beardos.”
He went on to criticize beards, long hair and what he called “superficial individual expression,” telling military leaders: “We’re going to cut our hair, shave our beards, and adhere to standards.”
His emphasis on grooming hasn’t been limited to Pentagon policy.
During a visit to U.S. troops in South Korea last October, Hegseth reportedly declined to meet with soldiers who had received medical exemptions from shaving.
That same month, overweight members of the Texas National Guard were reportedly sent home from Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago after appearing in a viral photograph.
More recently, Hegseth reportedly lashed out at the Navy after encountering sailors with beards during a shipboard inspection in June.
He was also accused of “body shaming” a Canadian cadet instructor after posting her photograph on X with a derisive comment amid escalating tensions between the United States and Canada.
Now the same emphasis on fitness and appearance is reportedly being applied to the troops who will appear beside him during his upcoming speech.
And there’s a workout involved.
Because apparently it’s not enough for Hegseth to talk about the warrior ethos.
The timing is also notable. Earlier this week, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky filed articles of impeachment against Hegseth, accusing him of violating his oath of office, abusing his powers and committing high crimes and misdemeanors. Massie cited Hegseth’s involvement in military operations in Iran, Caribbean boat strikes and disputes over free speech.
While Congress prepares to take up that impeachment resolution, Hegseth’s Pentagon is reportedly preparing for his September 30 speech by searching the ranks for troops who can meet the physical standards, maintain immaculate uniforms and deliver the kind of polished military image the secretary wants onstage.
Call it a military event. Call it a fitness test. Or, judging by the reported criteria, call it a casting call.
