Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Does Push-Ups, Deadlifts with U.S. Special Forces in Germany

STUTTGART, Germany — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday began his first international trip overseas spending some quality time with American troops stationed in Germany early in the morning for some physical training — or PT, in military-speak.

Side-by-side with Green Berets from the 10th Special Forces Group, the 44-year-old defense secretary did the “HERO workout” — a series of exercises honoring those who have fallen in the line of duty.

Hegseth did the workout despite arriving to Germany around 2 a.m. that morning and only getting a few hours sleep. Asked why it was important for him to do soo, he said it was about hearing from the troops directly.

“Listen, it’s not that long ago that I was right there with them,” said Hegseth, a retired Army major.

“I probably connect more with those guys than I do with four-star generals. But now I get the chance of working with four stars and others who are committed to the troops. But when I can get down, do push-ups and deadlifts with the troops and just hear from them — what’s working, what isn’t, how do you see your mission set — I love that,” he said.

“So there was never a doubt, even though we got in at two in the morning, that we were getting up a couple a couple hours later to go deep do PT,” he said.

He joked, “It’s a reminder that you guys, the press in Washington might think I’m young, but in military terms, I’m old, and that showed this morning with these young guys who ran circles around me in that parking lot.”

Earlier that morning, he posted photos from the workout on X, adding, “Strength equals readiness. Kicked off the day with PT alongside the warriors of 1/10 SFG. No bureaucracy — just sharp minds, strong bodies, and a mission-first mindset.”

He also posted a video after the workout, along with, “The best of our country. Honored to spend the morning w/these warriors.”

The posts — viewed by millions — garnered overwhelming praise from veterans and non-veterans alike.

One soldier — presumably from 10th Group — has gone viral among military circles for his notably muscular stature and has even been made into humorous memes by some.

Hegseth has made focusing on lethality a top priority at the Pentagon, a departure from the previous administration that focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

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