Pete Hegseth told a Turning Point USA crowd ‘our diversity is our strength’ is ‘the single dumbest phrase in military history’

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth took the stage at a Turning Point USA gathering and called the phrase “our diversity is our strength” the single dumbest phrase in military history. The crowd reacted loudly after he criticized military policies from previous administrations. His remarks drew clear agreement from the audience throughout the speech.

According to Mediaite, Hegseth framed his role at the Defense Department around three core objectives: reviving the warrior ethos, rebuilding the military, and re-establishing deterrence. He said the department should be dedicated to training, readiness, lethality, accountability, and discipline. From his perspective, the military’s primary mission is to deter wars and, if necessary, fight and win them.

The Defense Secretary was direct in his criticism of policies from the Obama and Biden administrations, claiming the department had been built around what he called odd forms of social engineering. He specifically targeted the idea that gender or race should be a focal point for military personnel. “The single dumbest phrase in military history is, ‘Our diversity is our strength,'” he told the audience, drawing boos from the crowd.

Hegseth says the military has moved to a merit-based, colorblind system under his leadership

Hegseth argued that the true strength of the country lies in its unity rather than its diversity, pointing to the oath to the Constitution and a shared purpose as the real foundations of military cohesion. 

He said soldiers in combat do not think about anything other than the capability of the person beside them. “You just want the most capable American next to you, who’s well trained and lethal in what they do,” he said. “That’s all you want, regardless of their gender, regardless of their race, regardless of their politics, and that’s why our department is done with all the DEI crap.”

The crowd cheered when Hegseth stated that the department is now operating on a merit-based system. He described the current approach as sex neutral, gender neutral, and colorblind, and said the reaction to these changes has been incredible. 

He also said that people who join the military have no interest in participating in a social justice experiment. “If they wanted that, they’d go to college!” he added.

Hegseth has faced criticism over some of his actions at the Defense Department. Accusations have been made that he is encouraging bias within the department. 

These claims include his decision to remove the names of Black and female officers from a military promotions list. In another case, Hegseth denied four military officers promotions after a closed-door quote sparked a racism firestorm.

That decision has continued to draw scrutiny as he moves forward with his stated vision for the military. Critics have raised concerns about what the removal of those names means for officers affected by the change. Hegseth has not stepped back from the approach, framing it as part of a broader push toward merit-based standards. A similar dispute involved Hegseth reportedly blocking one-star promotions for Navy officers, including African Americans and women.