Hegseth:

Military sexual assaults are down, military suicides are down, Black and female recruitment are up, even though all the quotas are gone.

Hegseth:

Our so-called press makes Iranian state media look reasonable.

Hegseth:

It’s your lives they put directly at risk when they lie about munitions stockpiles.

Hegseth:

A free press is, of course, important, but partisan activism that intentionally smears the troops and the historic mission that they are undertaking is fundamentally anti-American.

It’s sick. It’s a national betrayal. It’s treason.

Hegseth:

Americans want to serve when they’re led by strong patriots, not by weak weirdos.

Makes sense.

Hegseth:

Maduro said, “I’m right here, come and get me,” so we did. FAFO in action.

Hegseth:

Unleashed. Our boys come home; the enemy does not. Whatever it takes.

Hegseth:

We have the most powerful and the most prepared military on the planet.

Nobody can touch us. It’s not even close.

Hegseth:

We’re announcing the creation of Autonomous Warfare Command, a new four-star command built to scale autonomous and robotic capabilities across the joint force.

Hegseth:

For 40 years, the U.S. relied primarily on expensive weapons that placed quality over quantity.

Today, we need both quality and quantity.

Hegseth:

I’m announcing Project Meridian, an effort led by America’s best minds to study the future of warfare.

Project Meridian will be co-led by three of our nation’s best minds: Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey, and Newt Gingrich.

Hegseth:

We are launching Fortress America.

Every major military installation in America is going to generate its own power, independent of the civilian grid.

If an adversary takes down the grid, our bases stay lit.

Hegseth:

If the world’s supply lines break — and in a real war, they are going to break — America keeps fighting anyway.

We’re hardening every installation on American soil.

Hegseth:

I don’t need to give a sermon about the failings of higher education. You get it. I once wrote a book about it.

Hegseth:

What do we need? We need students of Western civilization and the pillars of our Republic.

Leaders who understand the faith of Jerusalem, the philosophy of Athens, the power of Rome, and the freedom of Philadelphia circa 1776.

Hegseth:

250 years ago, we rejected an earthly king an ocean away, appealing instead to a heavenly King above.

Hegseth:

While we wage physical war, we all know the real battle is spiritual.

God is good. Evil is not. And America’s military must understand the difference.

Hegseth:

Today, at my direction, I’m establishing the Office of Religious Affairs.

Hegseth:

Lord, here I am. Send me. Send me to fight the Redcoats, send me to fight the communists, send me to fight the Islamists. Send me.

Hegseth:

Lethality is your calling card, and victory your only acceptable end state.