David Ignatius: Trump and Hegseth’s Backward-Facing Message to the Generals

Inside the real reason for Trump's meeting with military leaders this week

This week, the top brass of America’s military — more than 800 four-star generals, lieutenant generals, major generals, and admirals — were summoned from their posts around the world to a conclave in Quantico, Virginia. The apparent reason? To listen to “Secretary of War” Pete Hegseth and their commander-in-chief, Donald Trump.Hegseth delivered a diatribe against political correctness, beards, fat generals, and women in combat missions. Trump ga…

Veterans see costs and risks in Hegseth’s military rewind to 1990 - West Hawaii Today

A ban on beards. A focus on physical fitness, and more protections for unapologetically aggressive leaders. In an unusual speech in front of hundreds of generals and admirals, and in a flurry of memorandums afterward, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlined his vision of a tougher and more disciplined military, without what he called “woke garbage” getting in the way.

Veterans see costs and risks in Hegseth’s military rewind to 1990 - Hawaii Tribune-Herald

A ban on beards. A focus on physical fitness, and more protections for unapologetically aggressive leaders. In an unusual speech in front of hundreds of generals and admirals, and in a flurry of memorandums afterward, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlined his vision of a tougher and more disciplined military, without what he called “woke garbage” getting in the way.

David Ignatius: Trump and Hegseth’s backward-facing message to the generals

Here’s the scariest part about Tuesday’s military pep rally: President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth — in their focus on grooming, fitness standards and “the enemy within” — seem oblivious to the reality that 21st-century combat will be…

Experts react to Hegseth’s Quantico summit: ‘Wrong message, wrong time, wrong audience’

Lawmakers and former service members warned that the Trump administration’s near-term vision for the Pentagon — including plans to gut long-standing oversight functions — could make America’s armed forces weaker and less safe in the wake of the unusual summit in Quantico this week, where the president and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed an auditorium filled with the nation’s most seasoned military officers. “This event was a performance…

‘A real sh*tshow’: Arizona veterans slam Hegseth’s speech to generals

Former servicemembers react to Defense Secretary Hegseth’s speech at Quantico, calling it a show of “aesthetics” and “an egregious waste of taxpayer money.” In a speech Tuesday morning at Quantico, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gathered the nation’s top generals and admirals for a bizarre speech, calling for an end to “woke” culture in the military and announcing major changes to standards, such as higher fitness standards for women serving in …