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By Hannah Parry
Associate News Editor
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Pete Hegseth has ordered a sweeping overhaul of the U.S. military's professional education system, directing Pentagon leaders to prioritize combat readiness and warfighting skills, as the embattled defense secretary faces mounting calls for impeachment over the Trump administration's handling of the Iran war.
In a memorandum dated November 9, Hegseth ordered immediate reforms across the military's Senior Service Colleges and Intermediate Level Education institutions, arguing that military education had strayed too far from its central purpose of preparing officers to fight and win wars.
The announcement comes as Republican Representative Thomas Massie prepares to push forward articles of impeachment against Hegseth, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries publicly backing the effort and declaring that the defense secretary "has got to go."
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Newsweek has contacted the Defense Department and the White House for comment.
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What Hegseth Ordered
In the memorandum, titled Reforming Professional Military Education to Forge Warfighters and Secure Victory, Hegseth says the military's education system needed fundamental changes to restore what he described as a culture of accountability and warfighting excellence.
"The fundamental purpose of the Armed Forces of the United States is to fight and win our Nation's wars," Hegseth wrote. "There is no substitute for victory."
He criticized what he characterized as "academic drift" within professional military education, arguing that institutions had increasingly prioritized theory and ideological concerns over practical military preparation.
The directive establishes a series of reforms intended to reshape how future military commanders are educated, assessed and selected.
Among the most significant changes:
- Mandatory wargaming and examinations: Senior military colleges and intermediate-level institutions will introduce standardized end-of-course wargames or comprehensive examinations to assess students' strategic and operational knowledge.
- New Warfighter Chairs: Institutions will establish positions for high-performing colonels and lieutenant colonels with recent operational command experience, bringing battlefield lessons directly into the classroom.
- Changes to faculty contracts: Newly hired civilian faculty will no longer receive lifetime tenure or emeritus status, with positions converted where appropriate into renewable three-year performance-based contracts.
- Greater emphasis on military experience: The Pentagon wants a majority of full-time faculty at senior military colleges to possess direct military or defense experience.
- Curriculum changes: Schools will be required to emphasize joint warfighting, military history, national defense strategy, strategic deterrence and operational planning.
The memorandum also directs the Pentagon to strengthen instruction on constitutional principles, civil-military relations and the legal responsibilities of commissioned officers.
Hegseth said the department would judge military education institutions against one central question: "Does this program forge leaders who will win America's wars?"
The directive assigns implementation responsibilities across the military services, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and senior Pentagon leadership, with deadlines ranging from 90 to 270 days.
Some of the changes, including revised grading policies and standardized assessments, are scheduled to be incorporated into academic programs beginning in the 2027-28 academic year.
Impeachment Pressure Mounts
Hegseth's announcement comes as his political future faces growing uncertainty following the midterm elections and mounting criticism of the administration's handling of the Iran war.
Massie, a Kentucky Republican, has said he intends to bring his eight-article impeachment resolution against Hegseth back to the House floor when lawmakers return to Washington.
The resolution, originally introduced in September, includes allegations concerning military operations conducted without congressional authorization, violations of the War Powers Resolution and other aspects of the administration's military activities.
Massie has also criticized Hegseth over the dismissal of senior military officials and the handling of sensitive military information.
On Sunday, Jeffries threw his support behind the Republican-led initiative, describing himself as a "hard yes" on the resolution.
"The so-called secretary of defense has abused his power, undermined our national security, and engineered this reckless and costly war of choice in Iran, which has skyrocketed prices on the American people and made the country less safe," Jeffries said on ABC News' This Week. "Pete Hegseth has got to go."
Jeffries said he expected "incredibly strong support" for the resolution among Democrats, although the full caucus would discuss the matter when lawmakers reconvened.
Hegseth has dismissed the impeachment effort as political theater.
In a video posted to social media last week, he described Massie's articles as "sham articles of impeachment" and accused Democrats and their allies of pursuing what he called a campaign of political destruction.
"Didn't work against President Trump, and it won't work with me," Hegseth said.
Iran War Remains at Center of Controversy
The Iran conflict has become one of the biggest sources of political vulnerability for the Trump administration, with Republican lawmakers increasingly questioning the strategy and economic consequences of the military campaign.
Republican Representative James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, recently acknowledged that there were "a lot of questions about Hegseth" and said there was dissatisfaction among Republican voters over the administration's approach to Iran.
Vice President JD Vance also appeared to connect the party's midterm defeat to the conflict, writing on X: "The reason we lost is the war."
Trump, meanwhile, has continued to publicly defend Hegseth.
In an interview with CBS News' 60 Minutes that aired Sunday, the president said he saw no reason to escalate the war with Iran, although he defended the original decision to launch the military campaign.
Asked whether he planned to intensify the conflict, Trump said: "Well, I'm not looking to. I don't think there's any reason to."
The president also described the decision to start the war as one that would prove "historically" beneficial, despite acknowledging its immediate economic consequences.
The administration's handling of Iran has become a central issue in the impeachment effort against Hegseth, with critics questioning the legal basis for military operations and the Pentagon's accountability to Congress.
What Happens Next?
The Pentagon now faces a series of deadlines to implement Hegseth's overhaul, with military departments required to report initial curriculum and institutional changes within 90 days. Within 180 days, institutions must develop standardized assessments, including mandatory wargames and examinations, while establishing new Warfighter Chair positions for experienced military commanders.
The reforms will also reshape faculty recruitment, introduce performance-based contracts for newly hired civilian educators and place greater emphasis on military experience in the classroom.
More substantial curriculum changes are expected to take effect during the 2027-28 academic year, with expanded instruction in joint warfare, military history, artificial intelligence and national defense strategy.
The Pentagon's Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness will oversee implementation, reviewing progress with senior military leaders at least every 60 days.
Meanwhile, Hegseth also faces a separate political battle, with Representative Thomas Massie preparing to advance articles of impeachment against him as House Democrats, led by Hakeem Jeffries, have voiced support for the effort.
This is breaking news, updates to follow.
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