"Last week, "Secretary of War" Pete Hegseth called America's troops fat. Every "warrior," he said, will now be required to train every duty day and pass fitness tests twice a year. "Frankly, it's tiring to look out at combat formations ... and see fat troops. Likewise it's completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon.""
"Equating physical appearance with battle-ready fortitude has become a consistent talking point for Hegseth and other Republicans in his orbit. In August, Hegseth and US health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launched the "Pete and Bobby Challenge" across their social media feeds, completing a workout of 100 pushups and 50 pull-ups, with the goal of finishing in under five minutes. (Within hours of its publication, left-wing accounts began making fun of Kennedy's pull-up form and questioning his decision to wear denim while exercising.)"
"Though there is nothing inherently right-wing about lifting weights, fitness influencers have been at the forefront of the rightward shift of young men in recent years; exercise content represents a key bloc of the so-called manosphere. However, a small but rapidly growing subset of progressive gym bros are moving into the online fitness space, and influential figures on the left are taking notice."
Pete Hegseth publicly criticized the physical condition of America's troops and mandated daily training with biannual fitness tests, equating appearance with combat readiness. Hegseth and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. promoted a high-intensity "Pete and Bobby Challenge" workout on social media, provoking mockery and commentary about form and attire. The young male vote shifted markedly toward Trump, intensifying partisan competition for the attention of fitness-focused young men. Fitness influencers have helped drive a rightward turn among young men, while a growing cohort of progressive gym influencers is entering the online fitness space to appeal to the same audience.
Read at WIRED
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