The Pentagon unleashes a bold new “Peace through Strength” recruitment campaign focusing on combat readiness instead of political correctness, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth works to reverse years of declining military enlistment.

At a Glance

• Pentagon’s new Memorial Day weekend ad campaign aims to combat recruitment crisis by emphasizing warfighting over “wokeness”
• Defense Secretary Hegseth has ordered the removal of diversity, equity, and inclusion content from military social media by March 5
• The House passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, increasing military spending by $150 billion
• U.S. military branches have struggled with recruitment targets, with Army, Navy, and Air Force all missing goals in recent years

Pentagon Launches “No More Distractions” Campaign

The Pentagon has released a powerful new advertisement over Memorial Day weekend featuring Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Trump that takes direct aim at what many conservatives view as unnecessary political distractions in the military. The “Peace through Strength” campaign showcases service members in training and combat scenarios while emphasizing a return to core military values. The advertisement represents a significant shift in messaging strategy as the Department of Defense works to address ongoing recruitment shortfalls across multiple service branches.

In the new advertisement, Hegseth delivers a clear message about the military’s renewed focus: “No more distraction, no more electric tanks, no more gender confusion, no more climate change worship. We are laser-focused on our mission of warfighting.” This direct approach signals a dramatic departure from previous recruitment messaging and reflects the administration’s commitment to rebuilding what it sees as a compromised military culture. The campaign comes as the Army, Navy, and Air Force have all struggled to meet recruitment targets in recent years.

Purging DEI from Military Communications

The Pentagon’s new recruitment campaign follows broader directives to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion content from military communications. A recent memo requires all military services to scrub mentions of DEI from their social media sites by March 5, part of a comprehensive effort to refocus military resources. The directive includes removing content related to critical race theory, gender ideology, and cultural awareness months, though services are still permitted to celebrate military heroes of all backgrounds who exemplify warrior culture.

“Efforts to divide the force — to put one group ahead of another — erode camaraderie and threaten mission execution,” said Pete Hegseth.

However, the implementation has not been without controversy. Some services have overreacted to the directive, such as the Air Force temporarily removing videos about the Tuskegee Airmen. Pentagon officials have clarified that military services “are encouraged to celebrate the valor and success of military heroes of all races, genders, and backgrounds as we restore our warrior culture and ethos.” The purge is one component of a larger strategy that includes identifying probationary workers for potential firing and managing government-wide buyouts.

Funding America’s Military Renaissance

Supporting the renewed military focus, the House recently passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which increases military spending by $150 billion for various defense projects. This substantial financial commitment aims to address equipment shortages, improve training facilities, and enhance overall military capability. The funding boost comes as the administration emphasizes measuring military success “not only by the battles we win, but also by the wars we end,” as President Trump stated in the new recruitment advertisement.

“Through our power and might, we will lead the world to peace. Our friends will respect us. Our enemies will fear us, and the whole world will admire the unrivaled greatness of the United States military,” said President Trump.

The revitalization efforts have not been without missteps. Secretary Hegseth recently targeted the Women, Peace & Security program, incorrectly identifying it as a “woke” initiative from the Biden era. In fact, the bipartisan program was signed into law by President Trump in 2017 and aims to increase women’s participation in peacekeeping and security efforts globally. Gen. Dan Caine, a Trump appointee, has defended the program, noting its effectiveness in understanding “human terrain” in conflict zones.

Addressing the Recruitment Crisis

Military recruitment has been in decline for years, with the Army, Navy, and Air Force all missing their targets. Defense officials point to multiple factors, including a strong job market, declining physical fitness among young Americans, and reduced veteran connections in American families. The new campaign directly addresses concerns from conservative families who have traditionally been a reliable source of recruits but have expressed hesitation about sending their children into what they perceive as a military focused on social issues rather than combat readiness.

“Given the intense focus on recent changes within the department, maintaining the public trust is more important than ever,” explained Darin Selnick.

The “Peace through Strength” campaign represents a deliberate effort to recapture the confidence of these traditional military families while emphasizing the core values of service, sacrifice, and national defense. Pentagon officials hope this return to fundamentals will reverse the troubling recruitment trends and ensure America maintains the world’s most capable fighting force. As the campaign rolls out across the country, military leaders are watching closely to see if their back-to-basics approach will inspire a new generation of Americans to answer the call to service.