RFK Jr., Hegseth face-off in Pentagon timed pullup, pushup challenge

Trump administration officials put actions behind words as Americans are being encouraged to drop “fat” for “fit.”

Members of the Navy and Marines watched at the Department of Defense on Monday as Secretary Pete Hegseth accepted a challenge from Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The “Pete and Bobby challenge,” shared in a video posted by the Defense Department, saw the two leaders square off to do 50 pullups and 100 pushups in under five minutes.

(Video Credit: Department of Defense)

“We had our big Pete and Bobby challenge today, 50 pull-ups. 100 push-ups. You try to get under five minutes,” said Kennedy, who launched the “Make America Healthy Again” movement.

Hesgseth, meanwhile, has focused on getting the U.S. military to be fit and well-equipped. Even President Donald Trump has cast an eye on fitness, revamping the Presidential Fitness Test in schools across the nation.

“We got close. I was about 5:25,” Hegseth said in the video of the challenge, defeating 71-year-old Kennedy but going over the five-minute mark.

“You were right behind me,” he told RFK Jr., noting also that some of the Marines at the gym had completed the challenge in less than four minutes, with one even pulling it off in under three minutes.

“It was President Trump who inspired us to do this,” Kennedy said. “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.”

Hegseth and Kennedy also challenged Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy to join the competition.

“Secretary Duffy, you’re invited to do the Pete and Bobby challenge. Can you do it in under five minutes? 50 pull-ups, 100 push-ups. What do you think?” Hegseth asked in the video.

Earlier this year, Kennedy had joked that Hegseth could probably benchpress more than he could.

HHS Secretary Bobby Kennedy just called out SecDef Pete Hegseth.

Ingraham: “Who could benchpress more, Hegseth or you?”

Kennedy: “Maybe we’ll have to find out…”

Bobby, we believe in you. Teach that younging a lesson. pic.twitter.com/ocd05gf09Z

— George (@BehizyTweets) February 14, 2025

“Thank you, President Trump, for setting the example. Presidential physical fitness. Make America Healthy Again. Fit, not fat,” Hegseth said in the challenge video. “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.”

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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.

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