Overview
- President Donald Trump told assembled commanders he signed an order to create a quick reaction force for civil unrest, described domestic turmoil as a “war from within,” and floated using U.S. cities as training grounds with Chicago named as a target for imminent action.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced directives setting fitness tests to male benchmarks, tightening grooming rules with beard limits, and requiring higher physical standards that could exclude some women from combat roles.
- Hegseth said he will loosen disciplinary guardrails by weakening hazing protections, reviewing definitions of toxic leadership, and allowing drill sergeants to use physical contact and profanity during basic training.
- He urged dissenting leaders to “do the honorable thing and resign,” defended recent removals of senior officers, and has pledged to cut the officer corps by as much as 20 percent.
- The unprecedented, short-notice recall of roughly 800 senior officers to Quantico raised cost and security concerns, and experts cautioned that the president’s appearance risked further eroding the military’s apolitical norms.