Washington DC - Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth boasted over the swift replacement of unfit National Guard troops who went viral after their deployment to Illinois.

"Standards are back at [the Department of War]," Hegseth wrote on X alongside a screenshot of an article announcing the replacement of Texas National Guard troops who didn't meet fitness standards.

The Texas Military Department announced it had taken action after overweight troops were pictured arriving in Chicago last week by Associated Press photographer Erin Hooley.

"In less than 24 hours, Texas National Guardsmen mobilized for the Federal Protection Mission," a spokesperson for the Texas National Guard told military magazine Task and Purpose.

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"The speed of the response necessitated a concurrent validation process, during which we identified a small group of service members who were not in compliance and have been replaced."

Hegseth has repeatedly attacked the weight of servicemen and women, as well as high-ranking military generals, since entering office earlier this year.

In late September, Hegseth gathered the military's top brass to lecture them on higher personal grooming and physical training standards.

"It's tiring to look out at combat formations, or really any formation, and see fat troops. Likewise, it's completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of Pentagon," he told them.