Retired General Critiques Trump’s Incoherent, Partisan Speech to Military Leaders at Quantico

President Donald Trump's recent speech to military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico was widely criticized for its content and delivery. Retired General Barry McCaffrey described the address as "one of the most bizarre, unsettling events" he had encountered, characterizing Trump as incoherent and exhausted. Trump declared that the U.S. is facing a "war from within" and proposed using "dangerous" cities as "training grounds" for military efforts, while emphasizing an end to "woke" policies and political correctness in the military. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth supported ending politically correct leadership and made controversial remarks about military personnel's appearance and readiness. Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Jack Reed and Senator Reuben Gallego, condemned the meeting as a dangerous politicization of the military and an unnecessary, costly event. Calls for invoking the 25th Amendment from figures like Illinois Governor JB Pritzker highlighted concerns about Trump's mental fitness to lead.