Why Trump's Address to US Armed Forces Leadership Proved to Be a Total Failure

No authoritarian leader or would-be dictator has previously assembled the entire senior military leadership of their armed forces in one room to demean them as incompetent and embarrass them for their slovenly personal appearance, while degrading whole classes serving in the army, navy and air force as inferior and undeserving.

The former president is used to walking into events with energetic audiences applauding to music. "I've never entered a room so quiet before," Trump remarked when speaking to the country's top military commanders at the Marine Corps Base Quantico. "Don't laugh. Unsure if you're permitted to do that." He tried to force some laughter, an vintage performance tactic to energize a dead audience. "Listen up, Just enjoy yourselves."

Trump's logic clearly demonstrated his psychology of victimhood and politics of revenge. If you do not show deference to him, he is deeply offended. Your failure to worship him must be punished. Any disrespect of his authority condemns you to destruction.

Military Professionalism vs. Partisan Demands

The speaker cannot grasp that the quiet demeanor of the military leaders during his extraordinary speech to them showcased their highest duty. Their composure displayed loyalty to uphold their pledge to the nation's founding document. Through their calm they represented themselves as examples for the remainder of the officer corps and the troops.

They aren't loyal to Trump or any personal following, but to his constitutional position.

They were being used as a background for a campaign-like rally, but they were unwilling to acting as partisan participants.

Basic Misunderstanding

Trump's failure to understand their steadfastness in the presence of his challenges showed his lack of understanding not only of the armed forces but the executive office under the legal system. As he took offense at their stoney silence his rebuke made clear that he saw them simply as his tools.

The president had come on an urgent mission for them to carry out. His purpose to tell the military chiefs they were to be his obedient instruments for the greatest change of military strategy since the "anti-terrorism campaign" – an unprecedented conflict to be fought against his viewed political opponents at home in violation of the federal law of 1878, which prohibits the internal use of the American armed forces as a law enforcement agency.

Background and Executive Actions

Every senior generals had been assembled for the historic gathering at the Marine Corps Base Quantico on the order of the defense chief. They possessed no inkling for what momentous purpose they were being called. They wouldn't theorize that they were being brought to be a captured crowd for a self-referential vanity presentation seeking to rehabilitate his image and assert his power.

But the commanders could have obtained more than a hint that they were being rounded up for the latest chapter of political drama by reading the executive order Labeling an activist movement as a terror group, an "organization" that lacks formal structure. Subsequent actions included a National Security Presidential Memorandum citing multiple incidents as justifications: "These incidents is not a collection of isolated incidents and doesn't originate naturally.

Ideological Basis

Per the directive, a new "government approach" would be enacted against an belief system of "anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, and anti-Christianity; support for the overthrow of the federal government; radical views on immigration, race, and gender; and opposition towards those who hold conservative values on family structure, religion, and morality."

These vapors were not a description of an ideology so much as a mixture of political catchphrases. Should any ideology expressed it was an inchoate authoritarianism based on a repressive impulse that created an universal enemy called "the opposition".

Military Chief's Presentation

The dramatic presentation at Quantico started with the military leader moving back and forth on the stage. He acted as a inspirational presenter as a military instructor with a publication to hawk – and a opening performance for the main speaker.

The ex national guard major said he had been "considered an radical"; he was flagged as a possible "insider threat" by fellow officers. Regardless of numerous accounts of his alcoholism, he informed journalists in an interview: "I never had a drinking problem," but then allegedly assured a legislator that he would "not touch alcohol while I have this position."

Procedural Modifications and Contentious Remarks

While serving as media personality, the speaker had been a prominent advocate for forgiving or granting clemency to military personnel charged or convicted of war crimes. He described them as "warriors" rather than "war criminals".

Now, in his speech, he declared he was clearing away "unnecessary elements". He promoted relaxing rules aimed at preventing forbidden violence within the armed forces. He declared the "overhauling" of the inspector general and whistleblower reporting system, which would weaken legal protections and protect violent or careless violators from accountability.

He planned to, he said, implement discriminatory measures of "gender-neutral" or "male level" physical standards for fighting positions, saying: "Should it result that no females qualify for some military positions, that's acceptable."

Aggressive Rhetoric and Military Response

The defense secretary swaggered in front of the military leaders, barking vulgar language – "Acronym for explicit phrase", or explicit language. "No more identity months, diversity initiatives, cross-dressing individuals. End climate change worship. Stop separation, distraction or gender delusions. Remove debris. As I've said before and repeat again, we are finished with that shit."

The generals sat without reaction at his vulgarity that could be considered under the Uniform Military Code of Justice as a violation against indecent language that "neglects to the prejudice of proper conduct and military standards".

Appearance Requirements and Individual Observations

Per the defense chief, it was the out-of-shape generals who required to exercise like him. "It's completely unacceptable to see overweight military leaders in the halls of the Pentagon and leading commands around the nation and the globe. It's a bad look," he said. "Eliminate facial hair."

Concluding Remarks and Governmental Background

At no point did the speaker mention "Russia" or "the Ukrainian nation". He offered not the slightest mention to the Russian massive missile attacks bombarding Ukraine, Russian unmanned aircraft over neighboring countries, the strained relations over US wavering within the international coalition, or utter anything that might be construed as a strategic thought.

Following his threatening address, the defense secretary stepped aside for the president. Trump displayed his customary disrespect for the armed forces by provoking them with an series of partisan barbs to which they remained completely motionless.

During the course of his rambling remarks, he dropped his new objective for the armed forces against the "enemy from within", with large American cities as the "training grounds … the ones that are governed by the progressive politicians … And this is going to be a major role for some of the people in this room. That's a war, too. It's combat from within." No response.

Brian Williams
Brian Williams

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