Hegseth: ‘Our Diversity Is Not Our Strength, Our Unity and Our Shared Purpose Is Our Strength’

EXCERPT:

HEGSETH: "Well, DEI is not going well at the Defense Department because it's dead. The president said in his inaugural, we will be merit-based and colorblind, and that is the case at the Defense Department. DEI will be ripped out root and branch because we want everyone treated equally, with high standards, and held accountable with warfighting, lethality and readiness front and center. We don’t have time for emphasizing differences. Jesse, one of the dumbest phrases in military history is, 'Our diversity is our strength.' Our diversity is not our strength. Our unity and our shared purpose is our strength. And the Pentagon is excited to get back to that core mission. It is happening rapidly. The services are responding and those that don’t want to respond can work somewhere else. So, diversity, equity and inclusion will not be a part of the Defense Department, not a minute longer."