7 National Guard Members Replaced In IL; Didn't Meet 'Mission Requirements'

Seven members of the Texas National Guard set to be deployed in Illinois were replaced because they did not meet “mission requirements,” according to the Texas Military Department.

The guard members were returned to their home station after it was determined they should be replaced during the “pre-mission validation process,” according to an email from the department.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth shared an article on Monday on X about the replacement of Texas guard members in Illinois, commenting that “standards are back” at the Department of War.

READ MORE: National Guard Troops Arrive At Elwood Training Facility

The decision to replace the guard members follows recent public discussion of the physical fitness and standards of America’s military.

Hegseth, in a speech to military leaders last month, complained about “fat troops” and “fat generals and admirals” as “a bad look.” He called for a return to “tried and true physical standards.”

Last week, a photo of Texas National Guard members arriving in Elwood posted on X by ABC News went viral. It had nearly 30 million views as of Tuesday and many commenters remarked on the guard members’ size.

“The Texas National Guard echoes Secretary Hegseth's message to the force: ‘Our standards will be high, uncompromising, and clear,’ ” the email from the Texas Military Department said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.