Hegseth rips ‘fat generals’ and diversity at Trump’s military gathering
Donald Trump calls for using US cities as ‘training grounds’ for the military in an unusual speech to generals
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth slammed “fat generals” and diversity initiatives that he said led to decades of decay in the military and told a rare gathering of commanders on Tuesday they should resign if they do not support his agenda.
Joining Hegseth was US President Donald Trump, who also delivered an address to the assembled admirals and generals in Quantico, Virginia that floated the idea of using deployments to US cities as “as training grounds for our military”.
The remarks by Hegseth, a former Fox News personality, and Trump, a former reality television star, had a made-for-TV element to them after top US military officials were summoned on short notice last week to the impromptu event.
“Foolish and reckless political leaders set the wrong compass heading and we lost our way. We became the ‘Woke Department’,” Hegseth said as he kicked off the event. “But not any more.”
Addressing an auditorium full of top brass who flew in from around the world, Hegseth defended his firings of flag officers, including the top US general, who is black, and the US Navy’s top admiral, who is a woman. He said the officers he relieved were part of a broken culture.