President Donald Trump is set to address the nation’s top military commanders at a last-minute summit in Quantico, Virginia, remarking beforehand that he would “fire them on the spot” if he found them unsatisfactory.
The mandatory meeting was called on just one week’s notice by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who announced a series of new directives aimed at combating what he termed “decay” and “woke” policies within the military. “We became the woke department. But not anymore,” Hegseth told the assembled generals and admirals.
Hegseth’s new policies include implementing stricter physical fitness and grooming standards across the force, requiring troops to shave their beards and cut their hair short. He also mandated that combat arms positions be brought up to the “highest male standard.” While all service members will be required to take a physical fitness test twice a year, the senior commanders present at the meeting will be exempt.
The hastily arranged event has drawn sharp criticism for its logistical challenges and potential multi-million dollar cost, creating significant security and traffic issues for the town of Quantico. Democratic lawmakers decried the meeting as a wasteful “pep rally-type event” that pulls senior leadership away from their duties.
More seriously, Democratic Senators Tammy Duckworth and Mazie Hirono of the Armed Services Committee warned that gathering the entire senior military leadership in one location is a major national security risk. In a letter to Hegseth, they argued that it signals to adversaries that the US command structure is concentrated and potentially vulnerable.
