A show of force
It turns out Hegseth is summoning the top brass from all over the planet to his office because he’s making a moooovie.
New details are leaking about why Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called top military officials from around the world for an in-person meeting in Virginia next week.
The former Fox News personality, now a top Trump official, reportedly wants to make a video of his brief speech. Hegseth will be addressing military standards and the “warrior ethos,” multiple people familiar with the planned event told The Washington Post.
One has to wonder why he couldn’t have done the usual online meeting type of thing, rather than spending millions (to say nothing of the risks) to make the brass watch him perform for the cameras.
A White House official separately told CNN that the meeting is meant to be a show of force, demonstrating what the military looks like under Trump.
In the speech, Hegseth will reportedly discuss the Trump administration’s reinvention of the Defense Department as the “Department of War” and address new readiness, fitness, and grooming standards.
Grooming standards. Yes that’s a very sufficient reason to summon the top brass from all over the planet. Teach them how to look like Fox News talking heads.
As it was put to CNN, the “guys with the stars on their shoulders make for a better audience from an optics standpoint.”
An even more sensible adult reason.
The gathering, which is scheduled to take place Tuesday, was described as a “pep rally.” But bringing hundreds of generals to Quantico, including those stationed abroad, could prove extremely expensive.
So what! It’s not his money!
Hegseth has remained largely tight-lipped about the upcoming meeting, but appeared to address some concerns about it on Friday morning with a sarcastic post on X.
The defense secretary wrote “Cool story, General” in response to a tweet from retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges about Adolf Hitler gathering Nazi generals in 1935 and them being “required to swear a personal oath to the Führer.”
When no reason was given as to why Hegseth was ordering top generals to gather, multiple retired military officials raised questions.
The not-retired ones of course can’t.
And the best person to deliver this to career military brass is a guy hired mostly for his looks by a draft-dodger who sneers at those who risk themselves for their nation.
Looks like the Toddler-in-Chief is crashing Little Petey’s party.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/09/28/trump-hegseth-speech-generals-quantico-security/
I didn’t think that Trump would pass up the chance to harangue his generals and admirals. Can’t let an underling (in this case Hegseth) get too high and mighty in throwing his clout around, so stealing his thunder is just a part of his jollies. Trump also couldn’t resist the temptation to announce it in advance. He’s going to come out of this with enough “Sir” stories to last him for the rest of his term(s).
What a big, fat invitation for decapitation. Have they published Vance’s intended plans and location for the day? Or was all of this his idea?
Oh yes, and no doubt, Trump will half-jokingly float the idea of personal loyalty oaths at this meeting, assuming his fat little fingers don’t telegraph it on social media first.
HAhahahahaha of course he is. Hegseth must be so pissed.
Pissed in both the American and the British sense.