US President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a highly charged address to senior military leaders in Quantico, Virginia, calling for a sweeping cultural overhaul of the armed forces and condemning diversity policies they claim weakened the institution.

The gathering, which brought together generals and admirals stationed across the globe, was convened on short notice after Hegseth ordered top brass to fly in for what he described as a "course correction" at the Pentagon. The event drew immediate criticism from lawmakers, who accused the administration of injecting partisanship into the military.

Purge and discipline

Opening the conference, Hegseth launched a sharp attack on what he called years of misplaced priorities. "Foolish and reckless political leaders set the wrong compass heading, and we lost our way. We became the 'Woke Department.' But not anymore," he declared.

The defense chief, a former television host and long-time Trump ally, defended his recent dismissal of several high-ranking officers, including the nation's top general and the Navy's highest-ranking admiral, arguing they represented a failed leadership culture. He warned those uneasy with his new direction to step down: "If the words I'm speaking today are making your hearts sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign."

Hegseth also vowed to enforce strict fitness and grooming requirements, describing overweight officers as symbols of decline. "It is completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon," he said, pledging that all future tests would follow male standards. "The era of unprofessional appearance is over. No more beardos."

Democrats condemned the speech, saying it violated long-standing norms of military neutrality. Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, in a statement said, "It signals that partisan loyalty matters more than capability, judgment, or service to the Constitution, undermining the principle of a professional, nonpartisan military."

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Command, conformity, control

President Trump, who joined Hegseth at the event, used his speech to express support for the defense secretary's agenda while taking aim at critics. "If you don't like what I'm saying, you can leave the room," he told the audience. "Of course, there goes your rank, there goes your future."

Trump praised the armed forces' strength but continued to rail against what he called "politically correct" policies, insisting, "Merit. Everything's based on merit. We're not going to have somebody taking your place for political reasons, because they are politically correct and you're not."

Read more: Trump says US Navy expanding with subs, battleships, and jets

Reaffirming his commitment to military leaders who align with his vision, Trump added, "I am with you. I support you, and as president, I have your backs 100%."

Trump's remarks also touched on broader issues, including his recent decision to send National Guard units into US cities. He suggested urban deployments could serve as "training grounds for our military," linking domestic unrest to what he described as an internal threat. "America is under invasion from within. We're under invasion from within, no different than a foreign enemy, but more difficult in many ways, because they don't wear uniforms," he said.

Militarized loyalty

The president's comments provoked swift backlash. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker responded on social media, saying, "Anyone who talks about their fellow Americans as enemies to be 'taken out' is not fit to lead the nation."

The Quantico event comes amid an ambitious restructuring of the Defense Department since Trump returned to office, including the removal of senior officers, new disciplinary measures, and a proposal to rename the Pentagon the "Department of War."

Despite the silence that met many of the speeches, the gathering underscored the administration's determination to reshape the US military along ideological lines, challenging its traditional role as a politically neutral institution.

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