Trump, Hegseth Face Backlash After Quantico Summit

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth convened nearly 800 senior officers at Marine Corps Base Quantico, where President Trump attended and addressed the gathering. Trump urged using what he called “dangerous” Democratic-run cities as training grounds for the military and National Guard, calling rising urban crime “a war from within.” Hegseth declared an end to “woke” culture at the Pentagon and announced tougher grooming rules and new gender‑neutral physical‑fitness standards framed by a “Would I want my son to serve?” litmus test. The proposals and Trump’s rhetoric prompted immediate legal and political pushback, with governors, local officials and courts citing Posse Comitatus limits on domestic troop use. Prominent lawmakers, veterans and some defense officials called the speeches alarming or unprofessional; critics including Sen. Ruben Gallego warned service members would uphold their oath to the Constitution, and Rep. Don Bacon and others raised concerns about reported firings and abrupt treatment of senior Pentagon leaders.