President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rallied hundreds of U.S. generals with a divisive call to end “woke” principles like diversity and inclusion, declaring war on “fat” troops and demanding a return to “male standards” in the ranks.
Flexing his power as commander in chief, Trump taunted the assembled top brass after they failed to greet him with more than scattered applause when he took the stage.
“If you don’t like what I’m saying you can leave the room, because there goes your rank, there goes your future,” Trump said with a grin.
Trump spoke for more than an hour, repeating familiar false claims about solving various global conflicts while deriding his political opponents.
He vowed to continue unleashing the military to crack down on undocumented immigrants and protesters in American cities, a major break with longstanding tradition.
“Our history is filled with military heroes who took on all enemies foreign and domestic. That’s what the oath says — foreign and domestic,” he said. “Well, we also have domestic (enemies).”
The unusual gathering came after Hegseth abruptly summoned military leaders from around the world to convene at the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Va., without publicly revealing any reason.
Hegseth painted a picture of a military that has been crippled by “woke” policies, and he warned military leaders they could quit if they don’t agree.
“We are done with that s–t,” Hegseth said.
The highest civilian leader in the military derided “fat” troops and generals and demanded that troops meet the “highest male standards” for some combat roles, an apparent dig at women in uniform.
Admirals and generals from conflict zones in the Middle East and elsewhere were summoned to sit through a lecture on race and gender, underscoring the extent to which Hegseth plans to focus on culture wars even at a time of broad national security concerns across the globe.
During his nearly hour-long speech, Hegseth said the U.S. military has promoted too many leaders for the wrong reasons based on race, gender quotas and “historic firsts.”
“The era of politically correct, overly sensitive don’t-hurt-anyone’s-feelings leadership ends right now at every level,” Hegseth said.
He vowed to loosen strict disciplinary rules the military has put in place after numerous scandals and investigations of physical, mental and sexual abuse of troops.
Hegseth slammed what he called lax physical fitness standards, environmental policies and transgender troops while talking up his and Trump’s focus on “the warrior ethos” and “peace through strength.”
He called for a return to what he called the “highest male standard” for various roles, although he insisted he does not object in general to women in the military or combat.
