Hegseth Critiques Military Leadership as Trump Advocates for Troop Use

By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Defense 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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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 anymore." 

Addressing an auditorium full of top brass who flew in from around the world, Hegseth defended his firings of flag officers, including the top U.S. general, who is Black, and the Navy's top admiral, who is a woman. He said the officers he relieved were part of a broken culture.

He promised sweeping changes to how the Pentagon handles discrimination complaints and investigates accusations of wrongdoing. He said the current system has top brass walking on "egg shells."

"If the words I'm speaking today are making your hearts sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign," Hegseth said. 

"I know the overwhelming majority of you feel the opposite. These words make your hearts full."

Hegseth said it was "completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon."

He said all fitness tests would be set to male benchmarks only and emphasized the importance of grooming standards.

"The era of unprofessional appearance is over. No more beardos," Hegseth told the audience, which sat in silence.

Democrats broadly condemned the event, which they said sought to drive partisan politics deep into the U.S. military.

"It signals that partisan loyalty matters more than capability, judgment, or service to the Constitution, undermining the principle of a professional, nonpartisan military," said Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate's armed services committee.

TRUMP TELLS COMMANDERS: I HAVE YOUR BACKS

Trump, as he departed for the event from the White House, told reporters he would fire military leaders if he did not like them. 

When Trump took the stage, he delivered a speech that lasted more than an hour.

"If you don't like what I'm saying, you can leave the room," Trump joked. "Of course, there goes your rank, there goes your future."

He then spoke warmly of the military, in sometimes-wandering remarks that touched on issues like the prowess of U.S. nuclear submarines but also included fierce criticism of the media, former President Joe Biden and Venezuela.

Echoing Hegseth, Trump turned his attention to his opposition to diversity initiatives.

"Merit. Everything's based on merit. .. We're not going to have somebody taking your place for political reasons, because they are politically correct and you're not," Trump said.

"I am with you. I support you, and as president, I have your backs 100%," Trump said. 

The auditorium was filled with uniformed officials, seated in front of a stage with a large American flag, a lectern and boards that read: "Strength. Service. America."

As Trump spoke, several officers sat looking expressionless, and the room was far quieter than the crowds at Trump's usual gatherings. A naval officer took notes.

After his speech, Trump departed and there did not appear to be any one-on-one meeting with the assembled military leaders.

The U.S. military is meant to be apolitical, loyal to the U.S. Constitution and independent of any party or political movement. That creates pressure on the commanders to avoid reacting to overtly political comments, by Trump or Hegseth.

It was unclear how much the event cost. Last week, Hegseth ordered military leaders to fly in from around the world for the gathering, just ahead of a potential government shutdown.

REVAMP OF DEFENSE PRIORITIES?

The Pentagon has undergone eight months of blistering changes since Trump took office, including firings, banning books from academy libraries and ordering lethal strikes on suspected drug boats off Venezuela.

   This month, Trump signed an executive order to rename the Department of Defense the "Department of War". That change will require congressional approval.

Over the weekend, Trump announced plans to send National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon. Earlier this year, he sent Guard and active-duty Marines to Los Angeles, despite protests from local officials. He has promised to send troops to Chicago.

In his speech, Trump said he told Hegseth "we should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military."

He acknowledged that he has been criticized for deploying the military on U.S. streets, but said America was in the grips of what he described as a war from within waged by immigrants in the country illegally who his administration is seeking to deport. 

"America is under invasion from within. We're under invasion from within, no different than a foreign enemy, but more difficult in many ways, because they don't wear uniforms," Trump said.

That triggered a sharp reaction from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a Democrat.

"Anyone who talks about their fellow Americans as enemies to be 'taken out' is not fit to lead the nation," Pritzker said on X.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; additional reporting by Katharine Jackson, Doina Chiacu, Steve Holland, Nandita Bose, Jeff Mason and Susan Heavey; Editing by Howard Goller, Alistair Bell and David Gregorio)