'Standards are back,' the Secretary of War posted on X, confirming a screenshot of a story about the action taken against the soldiers.

Several heavyset troops deployed to bolster security around ICE facilities were pictured in the Democratic city last week.

One commenter wrote: 'Hegseth is going to lose his mind. I'm here for it... Texas National Guard arrives in Chicago... for the food I assume.'

Two days later, the National Guard posted a statement, saying all of its soldiers and airmen are required to meet service-specific height, weight and physical standards at all times.

It said: 'When mobilizing for active duty, members go through a validation process to ensure they meet requirements. On the rare occasions when members are found not in compliance, they will not go on mission. They will be returned to their home station, and replacements who do meet standards will take their places.'

The Army has weight-for-height standards, for example a male soldier aged 17 to 20 who is 5'10" can weigh no more than 178lbs. If a soldier fails this standard chart then a body fat percentage calculation, which also takes into account their abdominal circumference, will decide whether they are still eligible to join.

Last month, speaking at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, Hegseth told the country's top generals that he was 'tired of seeing fat troops.'

'If the Secretary of War can do regular, hard PT, so can every member of our joint force,' the Secretary of War said. 

Hegseth also said these new rules are 'not about preventing women from serving,' but added that the physical standards needed to be gender neutral.

'If women can make it, excellent, if they cannot — then so be it ... it will also mean that weak men won't qualify. This is combat.'