Fear, praise and silence: Reactions to Trump’s military gathering
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Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, in Virginia, on Sept 30.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s speeches at a rare gathering of US military leaders on Sept 30 were met with sharp criticism from Democrats, praise from Republicans but a muted response so far from military officials themselves.
Speaking with hundreds of US generals and admirals in a packed auditorium in Quantico, Virginia, Mr Hegseth told commanders they should resign if they do not support his agenda. He also denounced “fat generals”
Mr Hegseth has moved with stunning speed to reshape the department, firing top generals and admirals as he seeks to implement Mr Trump’s national security agenda and root out diversity initiatives he calls discriminatory.
The US military is supposed to be apolitical, loyal to the US Constitution and independent of any party or political movement.
During his more than one-hour long speech which touched on everything from tariffs to nuclear weapons, Mr Trump defended many of his policies and said the military should use deployments to US cities as “training grounds for our military”.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat whose name has been floated as a possible 2028 presidential contender, said the speech should terrify people.
“Declaring war on our nation’s cities and using our troops as political pawns is what dictators do. This man cares about nothing but his own ego and power”, the governor posted on X.
US generals and admirals from around the globe listen as President Donald Trump delivers remarks at the Marine Corps base in Quantico.
PHOTO: DOUG MILLS/NYTIMES
Mr Trump has announced plans to send National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, and has already sent Guard and active-duty Marines to Los Angeles earlier in 2025
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat whose state is expected to see National Guard troops, issued a sharp reaction.
“Our troops and our nation deserve better than you acting as a petty tyrant,” he said.
‘Dereliction of leadership’
The top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, Senator Jack Reed, slammed the speech as “an expensive, dangerous dereliction of leadership by the Trump Administration”.
It is unclear how much the event cost. It required military leaders to fly in from around the world before a potential government shutdown.
During the event, there were few visible reactions from the generals and admirals attending the event – who sat largely silent.
The senior US military officials streamed out of the auditorium after Mr Trump’s speech and many will rush back to their posts.
So far, there has been little in the way of reaction from the uniformed officials who attended.
But some Republican lawmakers had a positive view.
Republican Congressman August Pfluger said Mr Hegseth’s speech was “inspiring” and encouraged every American to watch it.
Senator Lindsey Graham, a long-time ally of Mr Trump, said the President had heaped well-deserved praise on the military.
“It is a breath of fresh air to see a commander-in-chief expressing unending pride in our military and being strong without apology,” Mr Graham said. REUTERS
