SECDEF Hegseth, RFK Jr compete in major fitness challenge

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegeth and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kenney Jr. recently unveiled and demonstrated a pull-up and push-up challenge for Americans as part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative.

In a viral video shared on X, formerly Twitter, Hegseth and Kennedy announced the “Pete and Bobby challenge” to encourage Americans to be “fit, not fat” and to inspire U.S. service members to be trained as a “war-fighting force.”

“It’s all about Make America Healthy Again,” Hegseth said. “We’re gonna be fit, not fat. We want recruits that are ready to go and challenge.”

The two Trump administration leaders explained that the “Pete and Bobby challenge” involves 100 push-ups and 50 pull-ups in 10 minutes, with the eventual goal of 100 push-ups and 50 pull-ups in under five minutes. 

In a video shared by Fox News, Hegseth and Kennedy can be seen completing the challenge at the Pentagon while surrounded by members of the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps. 

“We had our big Pete and Bobby challenge today, 50 pull-ups. 100 push-ups,” Kennedy said following the challenge. “You try to get under five minutes.”

The secretary of defense completed the challenge with a time of five minutes and 25 seconds, while Kennedy completed the challenge with a time of five minutes and 48 seconds. Meanwhile, Hegseth noted that a couple of the Marines completed the challenge in less than four minutes, and one Marine completed the challenge in less than three minutes.

Highlighting the president’s Make America Healthy Again initiative, Kennedy said, “It was President Trump who inspired us to do this. This is the beginning of our tour, challenging Americans to get back in shape, eat better, but also, you need to get out and exercise.”

“Thank you, President Trump, for setting the example,” Hegseth added. “Presidential physical fitness. Make America Healthy Again. Fit, not fat. We’re going to have a war-fighting force, young men and women who are prepared to defend the nation. We’re doing it as a team. Join us.”

Last month, President Donald Trump reinstated the Presidential Fitness Test and reestablished the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition to build upon the actions his administration has taken to reverse the “health crisis” in the United States.