Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth joined the likes of ICE Barbies Nancy Mace and Kristi Noem on Tuesday by using the functions of his position as leader of the Pentagon for shameless self-promotion.
In an early morning X post, Hegseth shared snaps of himself exercising with the airborne 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Stuttgart, Germany, and declared that “bureacracy (sic)” in the military was over.
“Strength equals readiness. Kicked off the day with PT alongside the warriors of 1/10 SFG,” he captioned the post, adding, “No bureacracy (sic)—just sharp minds, strong bodies, and a mission-first mindset.”
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The images showed a sweat-stained Hegseth lifting a 55-pound barbell, as well as jogging with officers.
Hegseth’s glamour shots come a day after he signed a memorandum to rename the Army’s special forces headquarters from Fort Liberty to Fort Bragg—in honor of World War II veteran Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, reported CNN. Originally named after Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg, the move skated a Biden-era law preventing military installations from being named after Confederate officers.
“This change underscores the installation’s legacy of recognizing those who have demonstrated extraordinary service and sacrifice for the nation,” said Pentagon press secretary John Ullyot in a statement.
Hegseth commented under his own post with a video of himself shaking hands with the special forces group.
Speaking to the press about his physical training session, a giddy Hegseth added, “When I can get down, do pushups and deadlifts with the troops, and just hear from them — What’s working? What isn’t? How do you see your mission set? — I love that.”
The moment caught the attention of right-wing Turning Point Action CEO Charlie Kirk, who praised Hegseth and panned previous defense secretaries Lloyd Austin and Mark Milley over their physical fitness.
“Lloyd Austin could barely walk up a flight of stairs without losing his breath. Mark Milley is 100 pounds overweight,” wrote Kirk, whose followers have pledged a return to “masculinity” under Trump. “Warrior culture is back. Alpha men are now running our military,” added Kirk.
Other commentators urged Hegseth to use his power for more than photo-ops.
“Serious question do we not see more representation from black Americans in special forces ??” wrote one commentator.
Another added, “Visiting vets makes a great photo op, but ensuring their future ability to utilize the VA healthcare system without depleting all their assets is more than just a gesture, but shows our governments true appreciation for being willing to die to defend our freedoms!”
Hegseth was confirmed as the 29th U.S. secretary of defense on Jan. 24 by the Senate after fierce opposition from Republicans and Democrats over his qualifications for the role.
