Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr. are teaming up to Make America Healthy Again.
Secretary Hegseth shared the “Pete and Bobby Challenge” fitness initiative on social media.
Hegseth and Kennedy made the announcement from the Pentagon during a first-of-its-kind “fitness check.”
The event featured six, five-person teams representing the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps and DOD. Each team participated in a competition where individuals had to complete 50 pullups and 100 pushups in 10 minutes or less.
Hegseth told the group, “We’re going to have a little fun today — a little competition between departments — and I appreciate you taking part.”
He explained that the fitness check was part of an overall DOD promotion to highlight the importance of physical fitness throughout the chain of command.
“We’ve talked about [how] we’re going to be fit, not fat; we’ve talked about how we’re going to be ready — it’s a real thing,” Hegseth continued. He added that it matters what service members look like, how they carry themselves, and whether or not they are capable of doing what the job requires of them on a physical level.
Hegseth also shared that in addition to physical fitness, physical health is a key ingredient to having a successful fighting force, noting why DOD is working with Secretary Kennedy and HHS to identify pilot programs to “improve the quality of food that troops are consuming.”
Secretary Kennedy also encouraged younger Americans to accept the challenge and the event underscored that 78% of young Americans don’t qualify for military service, with a failure to meet physical fitness standards being a major factor.
Hegseth completed the challenge in about five and a half minutes, with the 71-year-old Kennedy only slightly behind.
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President Trump set the example by putting forth efforts to make America healthy again.
That’s why we are introducing the Pete and Bobby challenge.
100 push-ups. 50 pull-ups. 10 minutes. pic.twitter.com/ppRrwqSUm0
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) August 18, 2025
The challenge comes as Kennedy champions the “Make America Healthy Again” movement. In February, President Trump issued an Executive Order establishing the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission, to improve the health of Americans, particularly children.
Hegseth has also focused on making the U.S. military the most fit and well-equipped to defend the nation.
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