President Donald Trump mentioned he would meet with prime U.S. army leaders on Tuesday and warned he’ll fireplace any of them on the spot if he doesn’t like them.
“I’m going to be meeting with generals and with admirals and with leaders, and if I don’t like somebody, I’m going to fire them right on the spot,” Trump advised reporters on the White Home garden earlier than heading to Quantico, Virginia, for the uncommon assembly.
After arriving on the Quantico Marine Corps Base, Trump addressed dozens of U.S. army leaders with a cautionary message that drew nervous laughs from the group.
“I never walked into a room so silent before,” Trump mentioned. “If you want to applaud, you applaud. You can do anything you want.”
He added, “If you don’t like what I’m saying, you can leave the room. But there goes your rank and there goes your future.”
Trump’s feedback adopted remarks by Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth, who joined Trump in Quantico.
Earlier this month, Trump signed an govt order to rename the Division of Protection because the Division of Battle — a reputation the company final held within the Forties. Trump mentioned the rebrand will ship a “message” to America’s opponents.
“I think it sends a message of victory, I think it sends — really a message of strength. We’re very strong. We’re much stronger than anyone would really understand,” he advised reporters.
Talking forward of Trump’s speech, Hegseth proclaimed an finish to “woke” tradition within the army whereas blasting the insurance policies of former administrations.
“The leaders who created the woke department have already driven out too many hard chargers,” he advised the assembled leaders. “We reverse that trend right now.”
Hegseth went on to inform senior army leaders that he doesn’t wish to see anymore “fat generals and admirals” in service.
“It’s completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon leading commands around the country, in the world, it’s a bad look,” he mentioned.
Hegseth argued that “upholding and demanding high standards is not toxic.”
He then famous the army can be redefining “so-called toxic leadership, bullying and hazing to empower leaders to enforce standards without fear of retribution or second guessing.”
Elsewhere in his speech, Hegseth warned that any army personnel who disagreed with the administration’s route ought to resign.
“If the words I’m speaking today are making your heart sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign,” he mentioned.
