Trump, Hegseth Propose Military Leadership Cuts

President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth convened a rare summit of the military’s highest-ranking officers at Quantico to outline a cultural and operational “reset” calling for a more “MAGA-friendly” force and rolling back DEI and other “woke” influences. They proposed roughly a 20% reduction in four‑star generals and suggested using crime‑plagued U.S. cities as training grounds. Their remarks — including talk of an “enemy within,” crude language, and a push for a “male standard” fitness test — prompted alarm from former Pentagon officials and veterans who said the rhetoric politicized the force and risked alienating senior leaders. However, the meeting did not produce a mass purge and leaders did not formally unveil a new National Defense Strategy or major command realignments, though the administration has previously fired multiple flag officers. Analysts are debating operational implications for force structure and homeland training, and legal commentators warned that any orders violating U.S. or international law would be unlawful and should be refused.