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highplainsdem

(63,152 posts)
Sat May 23, 2026, 03:58 PM 19 hrs ago

Hegseth rants about 'woke military' and 'political correctness' during fiery West Point graduation speech

Source: Independent

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used his West Point commencement address to criticize former leaders, accusing them of turning the armed forces into a “woke Princeton” and weakening the American spirit through DEI policies.

In the rain on Saturday at Michie Stadium in West Point, New York, Hegseth told graduating cadets that past leadership and reforms had weakened the military, accusing previous officials of turning the academy into what he described as a misguided academic environment.

“We saw woke and weak leaders trying to make West Point look like woke Princeton, which happens to be my long-lost and lost alma mater,” Hegseth said.

“They tried to introduce diversity and inclusion studies. They hire professors who advocated for anti-American ideologies right here in these halls, but no more,” he said to a muted response from the crowd, arguing that West Point is “special” and “above politics.”

-snip-

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/hegseth-west-point-graduation-speech-b2982557.html

21 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Hegseth rants about 'woke military' and 'political correctness' during fiery West Point graduation speech (Original Post) highplainsdem 19 hrs ago OP
This guy is a psychopath..... Lovie777 19 hrs ago #1
And stupid on top of that. lonely bird 16 hrs ago #10
And... MarcoZandrini 3 hrs ago #18
"West Point is above politics," he ranted, politically. Beartracks 19 hrs ago #2
Hegseth badmouthing officers with high GPA's who were qualified to no_hypocrisy 18 hrs ago #3
Bah, some of them would. OldBaldy1701E 3 hrs ago #19
The punk is sick. He is a total pussy with a big mouth (not offense to pussies intended). ☮ walkingman 18 hrs ago #4
A sad day in West Point history Mysterian 18 hrs ago #5
I hope you are right about that. 3catwoman3 14 hrs ago #12
Bring back barbarism!!! Valhallah!!! chowder66 18 hrs ago #6
No comment AverageOldGuy 18 hrs ago #7
That the response was muted is comforting nuxvomica 18 hrs ago #8
Diversity and unity are complete opposites to racists and Nazis William Seger 3 hrs ago #20
First Wharton, now Princeton... Grins 17 hrs ago #9
Trying to poison hearts and minds. Harker 14 hrs ago #11
Generals, admirals, and other high-ranking officers must feel let down to toe the line to this drunken minor major. Norrrm 14 hrs ago #13
A muted audience. Figarosmom 13 hrs ago #14
I have 2 cousins who graduated from West Point (1 female) - I'm sure glad that they're not graduating now... Rhiannon12866 12 hrs ago #15
Woke! AS opposed to Hegs GD Cha 10 hrs ago #16
How the fuck did this moron get into an ivy league school JT45242 3 hrs ago #17
Go home Hegseth Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin 3 hrs ago #21

no_hypocrisy

(55,424 posts)
3. Hegseth badmouthing officers with high GPA's who were qualified to
Sat May 23, 2026, 04:40 PM
18 hrs ago

teach at West Point.

Does he expect the graduates to turn against their role models who helped them achieve their goals?

OldBaldy1701E

(11,592 posts)
19. Bah, some of them would.
Sun May 24, 2026, 07:52 AM
3 hrs ago

I'd say around 12-18% of them would do just that, if it meant being seen as 'pro-Cheetolini'.

walkingman

(11,173 posts)
4. The punk is sick. He is a total pussy with a big mouth (not offense to pussies intended). ☮
Sat May 23, 2026, 04:44 PM
18 hrs ago

Mysterian

(6,646 posts)
5. A sad day in West Point history
Sat May 23, 2026, 04:50 PM
18 hrs ago

I'm sure most of the cadets were disgusted by cowardly braggart Hegseth.

AverageOldGuy

(4,192 posts)
7. No comment
Sat May 23, 2026, 04:53 PM
18 hrs ago

Kegbreath was thrown out of the National Guard as a major because his fitness reports all stated that he was not fit for further promotion.

I retired from the Army at a rank several grades about Kegbreath. I has to end the career of one young, incompetent major who could not operate above that level. He was right at home as a lieutenant who had been promoted to captain then major when he should have been sent packing, so, it fell to me to get rid of him.

I can imagine what was going through the heads of the West Point grads, all of whom are far more competent than Kegbreath -- having to sit through his bullshit.

nuxvomica

(14,242 posts)
8. That the response was muted is comforting
Sat May 23, 2026, 05:24 PM
18 hrs ago

He went on to criticize the slogan "Diversity is our strength", saying that, instead, "Unity is our strength." The incompetent sleazebag doesn't have enough remaining brain cells to understand that the two slogans are not mutually exclusive but are, in fact, mutually dependent. They mean the same effing thing!

William Seger

(12,538 posts)
20. Diversity and unity are complete opposites to racists and Nazis
Sun May 24, 2026, 08:00 AM
3 hrs ago

The minorities in that graduation class now know that equality with white officers isn't in their future.

Norrrm

(5,634 posts)
13. Generals, admirals, and other high-ranking officers must feel let down to toe the line to this drunken minor major.
Sat May 23, 2026, 09:28 PM
14 hrs ago

Rhiannon12866

(259,085 posts)
15. I have 2 cousins who graduated from West Point (1 female) - I'm sure glad that they're not graduating now...
Sat May 23, 2026, 10:58 PM
12 hrs ago

JT45242

(4,146 posts)
17. How the fuck did this moron get into an ivy league school
Sun May 24, 2026, 07:41 AM
3 hrs ago

Just looked it up...to play on the basketball team.

I hope the coach that recruited him thinks before recruiting Nazi dirt bags in the future.

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