Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlined an overhaul of military standards and gender rules on Tuesday in an extraordinary meeting of top brass, an effort that could reduce the role of women in combat as he seeks to bolster an image of American might.

“You are not politically correct and don’t necessarily belong, always, in polite society,” he said to hundreds of senior military leaders, who were ordered last week to gather at Quantico base in Virginia.

Hegseth has made setting the military apart from civilian society a hallmark of his tenure as Defense secretary. And while he largely trod over familiar ground Tuesday, the Pentagon chief announced new orders that would codify the “highest male standards” in training, set specific grooming rules and further eliminate gender- or race-based programs.

“I don’t want my son serving alongside troops who are out of shape or in combat units with females who can’t meet the same combat arms physical standards as men,” he said.

Hegseth’s speech, which resembled a TED talk, called for restoring a throwback vision of the military — one that could win quick, decisive wars using overwhelming force. It marked a clear distinction from policy speeches by previous Pentagon leaders, such as Jim Mattis and Lloyd Austin, who outlined Russia and China as explicit U.S. threats.

At one point, Hegseth compared himself to the World War II-era Secretary of War Henry Stimson and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine to the legendary Gen. George Marshall.

The secretary also decried “fat generals and admirals” walking the halls of the Pentagon and lambasted Biden-era objectives to promote diversity in the ranks as actions of the “Woke Department.”

Hegseth appeared to borrow from internet meme culture noting American adversaries threatening the country could “FAFO,” an acronym that stands for “fuck around and find out.”

“If necessary, our troops can translate that for you,” he said.

The new rules will put in place the “highest male standard” for fitness in combat roles, he said, which are “gender neutral.” But he acknowledged women may not be able to meet them.

“If that means no women qualify for some combat jobs, so be it,” Hegseth told the assembled generals. “That is not the intent, but it could be the result.”

He told officers that even generals and admirals would be required to pass two yearly physical tests. And he hinted that the Pentagon would overhaul inspector general investigations, just as the Defense Department watchdog is expected to release a report on Hegseth’s sharing of sensitive information on military strikes in a Signal group chat.

Perhaps most ominously, the Defense secretary warned of additional firings to come — a year after he terminated Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. C.Q. Brown, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti and several other top military officers.

“More leadership changes will be made,” he said. “Of that, I’m certain.”