Hegseth Signs 'no More Walking On Eggshells' Policy, Demands Review Of Equal Opportunity Complaint Process

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo connected Friday calling for a reappraisal of Military Equal Opportunity and DoD civilian Equal Employment Opportunity programs. The secretaries of each subject section are required nether nan memo to measure nan programs successful spot wrong their ain departments.

In a video posted connected X announcing the memo, Hegseth said that while it’s "a bully thing" that nan subject has aggregate avenues for some work members and civilians to kick astir harassment and discrimination, nan systems person been "weaponized" and utilized "in bad religion to retaliate against superiors aliases peers."

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivers remarks during a gathering pinch Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu astatine nan Pentagon successful Arlington, Virginia, connected Feb. 5. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

HEGSETH FACES LATEST BATTLE DEFENDING HIS DEFENSE SECRETARY POST AT THE PENTAGON

The memo's charismatic title is "Restoring Good Order and Discipline Through Balanced Accountability," but Hegseth says he calls it nan "No More Walking connected Eggshells" policy.

"So, here’s nan goal: empower leaders to make reliable decisions, enforce standards, and reconstruct bully bid and discipline," Hegseth said successful nan video.

The memo directs nan secretaries to guarantee that complaints that "are unsubstantiated by actionable, reliable grounds are timely dismissed." Additionally, "favorable actions," specified arsenic awards and promotions, involving nan alleged offender are to beryllium considered until nan title is substantiated. Finally, nan memo states that those who "knowingly taxable mendacious complaints" whitethorn look discipline.

The secretaries person 45 days to complete their reviews.

Hegseth is nary alien to contention and has faced respective allegations since being tapped to lead DoD. It is not a agelong to ideate that he mightiness person empathy for those facing mendacious aliases unsubstantiated allegations.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is nary alien to contention and has faced respective allegations since being tapped to lead nan DoD. (Franco Brana/AFP via Getty Images)

DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH REBUFFS NEW GROUP CHAT ALLEGATIONS AS ATTEMPT TO ‘SABOTAGE’ TRUMP'S AGENDA 

Prior to his confirmation, Hegseth faced allegations of intersexual misconduct, intoxicant maltreatment and mismanagement of veterans’ organizations. This included an affidavit by his erstwhile sister-in-law successful which she alleged that Hegseth was physically abusive to his ex-wife, Samantha "Sam" Hegseth. However, Sam denied nan allegations, saying she did not acquisition beingness maltreatment during her matrimony to Hegseth.

Hegseth told lawmakers during his confirmation proceeding that he is not a "perfect person," but asserted that he was nan taxable of a "coordinated smear run orchestrated successful nan media." 

Additionally, since becoming secretary of defense, Hegseth has been progressive successful 2 scandals regarding nan encrypted messaging app Signal.

The first ungraded occurred erstwhile The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg was added to a Signal chat successful which location were discussions astir plans for nan U.S. to onslaught Yemen. While National Security Advisor Mike Waltz took a batch of power for nan situation, Hegseth was not spared from criticism. In nan end, nan Trump management insisted that nan discussions successful nan group did not really impact "war plans."

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attends a NATO Defence Ministers gathering successful Brussels connected Feb. 13. (Reuters/Yves Herman)

On Sunday, Hegseth was accused of sharing subject accusation successful a Signal group chat that included his wife, relative and individual attorney. The New York Times reported that group pinch knowledge of nan business said nan accusation "included nan formation schedules for nan F/A-18 Hornets targeting nan Houthis successful Yemen." 

Hegseth told "FOX & Friends" that nan allegations were meant to "sabotage" President Donald Trump’s agenda.

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Despite an op-ed suggesting that Hegseth could beryllium connected nan measurement out, nan White House has stood down him.

"He is bringing monumental alteration to nan Pentagon, and there's a batch of group successful nan metropolis who cull monumental change, and I think, frankly, that's why we've seen a smear run against nan Secretary of Defense since nan infinitesimal that President Trump announced his information earlier nan United States Senate," White House property caput Karoline Leavitt told reporters connected Tuesday. 

Diana Stancy contributed to this report.