Pete Hegseth has ordered a sweeping overhaul of the U.S. military’s professional training system, directing Pentagon leaders to prioritize combat readiness and combat skills, as the embattled defense secretary faces growing calls for impeachment over the Trump administration’s handling of the Iran war.
In a memorandum dated November 9, Hegseth ordered immediate reforms at senior military colleges and mid-level educational institutions, arguing that military education had strayed too far from its primary goal of preparing officers to fight and win wars.
The announcement comes as Republican Rep. Thomas Massie introduced articles of impeachment against Hegseth on Monday, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries publicly supporting the effort and saying the defense secretary “has to go.”
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A Defense Ministry spokesperson said News week there was nothing further to add to Hegseth’s statement and comments.
News week also contacted the White House for comment.
What Hegseth commanded
In the memorandum entitled Reforming professional military education to build fighters and ensure victoryHegseth says the military education system needed fundamental changes to restore what he described as a culture of responsibility and excellence in warfare.
“The fundamental purpose of the United States Armed Forces is to fight and win our nation’s wars,” Hegseth wrote. “Nothing replaces victory.”
He criticized what he called an “academic drift” within professional military education, arguing that institutions were increasingly prioritizing theoretical and ideological concerns over practical military preparation.
The directive establishes a series of reforms intended to reshape the way future military commanders are trained, evaluated and selected.
Among the most significant changes:
- War games and compulsory exams: Senior military colleges and mid-level institutions will introduce standardized end-of-course war games or comprehensive exams to assess students’ strategic and operational knowledge.
- New Warfighter chairs: Establishments will create positions for high-performing colonels and lieutenant colonels with recent operational command experience, bringing lessons from the battlefield directly to the classroom.
- Changes to teacher contracts: Newly hired civilian professors will no longer benefit from lifetime tenure or emeritus status, with positions being converted, where applicable, to renewable three-year contracts based on performance.
- Increased emphasis on military experience: The Pentagon wants a majority of full-time professors at advanced military academies to have direct military or defense experience.
- Program changes: Schools will need to emphasize joint warfighting, military history, national defense strategy, strategic deterrence and operational planning.
The memorandum also calls on the Pentagon to strengthen education on constitutional principles, civil-military relations and the legal responsibilities of commissioned officers.
Hegseth said the department would judge military education institutions based on one central question: “Does this program build leaders who will win America’s wars?”
The directive assigns implementation responsibilities to the military services, Joint Chiefs of Staff and senior Pentagon leaders, with timelines ranging from 90 to 270 days.
Some of the changes, including revised grading policies and standardized assessments, are expected to be incorporated into academic programs beginning in the 2027-2028 academic year.
Impeachment pressure mounts
Hegseth’s announcement comes as his political future faces growing uncertainty following the midterm elections and growing criticism of the Trump administration’s handling of the war in Iran.
The eight-article impeachment resolution filed Monday against Hegseth by Massie of Kentucky was first introduced in September. It includes allegations regarding military operations conducted without congressional authorization, violations of the War Powers Resolution, and other aspects of the administration’s military activities.
Massie also criticized Hegseth for firing senior military officials and handling sensitive military information.
On Sunday, Jeffries threw his support behind the initiative, describing himself as a “strong yes” to the resolution.
“The so-called Secretary of Defense abused his power, undermined our national security and staged this reckless and costly war in Iran, which sent costs skyrocketing for the American people and made the country less secure,” Jeffries said on ABC News. This week. “Pete Hegseth has to go.”
Jeffries said he expected “incredibly strong support” for the resolution among Democrats, although the entire caucus would discuss the issue when lawmakers reconvene.
Hegseth called the impeachment attempt political theater.
In a video posted to social media last week, he called Republican Massie’s articles “fake articles of impeachment” and accused Democrats and their allies of continuing what he called a campaign of political destruction.
“It didn’t work against President Trump, and it won’t work with me,” Hegseth said.
The war in Iran remains at the center of controversy
The Iran conflict has become one of the biggest sources of political vulnerability for the Trump administration, with Republican lawmakers increasingly questioning the strategy and economic consequences of the military campaign.
Republican Rep. James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, recently said there were “a lot of questions about Hegseth,” adding that there was dissatisfaction among Republican Party voters over the administration’s approach to Iran.
Vice President JD Vance also directly cited the conflict after the party’s bruising midterm defeat, writing on X: “The reason we lost was the war.”
President Donald Trump continued to publicly defend Hegseth. In an interview with CBS News’ 60 minutes broadcast on Sunday, Trump said he saw no reason to escalate the war with Iran, although he defended the initial decision to launch the military campaign.
Asked if he planned to escalate the conflict, Trump replied: “Well, I’m not looking to do that. I don’t think there’s any reason to do that.”
The president also described the decision to start war as one that would prove “historically” beneficial, even as he acknowledges its immediate economic consequences.
The administration’s handling of Iran has become a central issue in impeachment efforts against Hegseth, with critics questioning the legal basis for military operations and the Pentagon’s accountability to Congress.
What happens next?
The Pentagon now faces a series of deadlines to implement Hegseth’s overhaul, with military departments required to report on initial program and institutional changes within 90 days. Within 180 days, institutions must develop standardized assessments, including war games and mandatory exams, while creating new Warfighter Chair positions for experienced military commanders.
The reforms will also reshape teacher recruitment, introduce performance-based contracts for newly hired civilian educators and place more emphasis on military experience in the classroom.
More substantial changes are expected to take effect in the 2027-28 academic year, with expanded instruction in joint warfare, military history, artificial intelligence and national defense strategy.
The Pentagon’s undersecretary for personnel and readiness will oversee implementation, reviewing progress with senior military leaders at least every 60 days.
This is breaking news, updates to follow.
Newsweek Reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors about this story: Samantha Beech And Edward T. Cummins
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