Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s call to reset combat requirements to what he described as “the highest male standard” has sparked an outpouring of criticism from women who served in the U.S. military who argue that his framing misrepresents how standards have always been applied and risks undermining women who are currently serving in combat roles.

Speaking to generals this week, Hegseth insisted that military readiness had been compromised by lowering benchmarks to accommodate women. He said he would reverse those changes with new directives sent to top brass. “If it means no women qualify for combat jobs, then so be it,” he declared.

But female veterans say the secretary is distorting the facts. Elisa Cardnell, a former Navy officer who spent 11 years in service, told the BBC that the standards for combat roles have always been the same regardless of gender. “None of us have ever asked for special treatment,” she said. She explained that while annual fitness tests are scaled by age and gender, combat role requirements—from infantry to pararescue—are already gender-neutral. “Of course, not all women are going to make those, but not all men do either.”

Others voiced sharper frustration. Amy McGrath, a former Marine fighter pilot and Senate candidate, accused Hegseth of “lying about women in the military.” In a widely shared Instagram video, McGrath argued that flying combat aircraft has never been subject to gendered standards: “There was never a man’s standard or a woman’s standard for flying a jet.”

The pushback reflects a deep concern that Hegseth’s rhetoric could reshape the culture of the armed forces. Cardnell noted that many women are still in the middle of their careers after the 2013 repeal of the Combat Exclusion Policy and the 2016 opening of all roles. “It takes time to see those women break that brass ceiling,” she said. “We haven’t had a chance to see that. Leadership sets the tone, and what he’s doing now sets a tone that undermines women’s progress.”

Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran who lost both legs piloting a helicopter in combat put it bluntly, “For a guy who’s not qualified for his own job, it’s pretty discriminatory to talk about women who are qualified to do their jobs.” She warned that Hegseth’s approach could hurt recruitment at a moment when the armed forces already struggle to meet quotas.

Hegseth’s directives, part of what he calls an effort to “fix decades of decay,” go beyond combat tests. He has criticized the military for what he sees as elevating leaders for reasons tied to “race, gender and historic so-called firsts.” That language has drawn backlash for dismissing hard-earned achievements, even as some Republicans cheer his stance. Representative Sheri Biggs, a former Air National Guard officer, praised the move, saying it would put “excellence and accountability” back at the center of the military.

For women who have fought to be recognized as equals in uniform, however, the message feels regressive. As Cardnell put it, the concern is not just about tests and directives—it’s about whether the country’s top defense official believes women belong in combat at all.