At a military base near Washington, President Donald Trump convened a meeting with senior military officials. The gathering on Tuesday included hundreds of generals, admirals, and their advisors. The meeting was called abruptly by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. In their speeches, Trump and Hegseth made remarks that were seen as disparaging towards the military, and proposed using the armed forces to combat domestic adversaries. Hegseth made offensive comments against military personnel who did not align with his views on representing the US Senate. These statements during the military meeting were perceived negatively by many attendees. This meeting, typically a prestigious event for the highest-ranking military officers in the US, was marked by Hegseth’s critical comments about the soldiers.
During the same meeting, President Donald Trump also addressed the attendees. He criticized his political opponents and stated that crime rates were higher in Democratic-led cities, despite data showing a decline in actual crime. Trump expressed his intention to deploy the military to address internal threats. Although the use of the military domestically is uncommon in the US, Trump had previously deployed the National Guard to some cities. Trump asserted that he was acting to help people and combat crime, actions which have led to protests in various locations. He described the meeting as a critical undertaking for many involved, referring to it as an internal battle.
Hegseth declared that previous leaders had transformed the military into a ‘woke department,’ implying an overemphasis on political correctness. This policy would no longer continue. He also criticized the physical appearance of the soldiers, stating that there should be no ‘fat generals and admirals’ in the Pentagon. Hegseth emphasized that only those most physically fit would be selected for combat roles. If women did not meet the standards, so be it. He did not want to see weaker people in the military. Hegseth condemned efforts to include diverse groups in the military, as well as transgender soldiers. He stated that recognition months, diversity offices, and the allowance of boys wearing dresses would no longer be permitted. Beards would also be banned, a rule which could pose difficulties for African American soldiers due to a skin condition that causes severe pain upon shaving.