Hegseth’s new ‘field manual’ for troops is filled with his speeches and Trump promising not to fight ‘dumb wars’

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a “field manual” to U.S. service members filled with transcripts of his own speeches and a pledge from President Donald Trump to avoid “dumb wars,” according to a new report.

The 144-page manual was handed out to roughly 600 troops attending Hegseth’s “State of the Force” address in Quantico, Virginia, on Wednesday, ABC News’ Steven Beynon reported.

Included in the book is the transcript of Hegseth’s September 2025 address on restoring the “warrior ethos.” In that address, the defense secretary said: “Good morning and welcome to the War Department. Because the era of the Department of Defense is over.”

Also encased in the manual is Hegseth’s January 2026 speech on “technological dominance” in which he hailed Elon Musk and SpaceX as “a testament to the strength of American ingenuity.”

At the beginning of the manual is a forward penned by Trump, which carries the tone of a Truth Social post.

“Our goal is PEACE, which is why we prepare for War — Especially the Wars of the future,” the forward states.

“As your Commander-in-Chief, I will not ask you to fight dumb Wars,” it continues. “I will unleash you to be violent, lethal and unstoppable — and I will always have your back. Godspeed, Great Warriors. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”