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No dictator or would-be dictator has ever assembled the entire high-ranking military leadership of their military in one room to belittle them as incompetent and humiliate them for their slovenly personal appearance, while degrading entire groups serving in the military branches as inferior and undeserving.

The former president is accustomed to entering gatherings with energetic crowds applauding to music. "I've never walked into a room so quiet before," Trump stated when speaking to the nation'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 amusement, an old entertainment tactic to energize a unresponsive audience. "Listen up, Just enjoy yourselves."

Trump's logic clearly demonstrated his psychology of victimhood and politics of retribution. Should you do not bend the knee to him, he is personally wounded. The failure to worship him deserves to be penalized. Your slight of his majesty dooms you to ruin.

Armed Forces Discipline vs. Political Demands

Trump cannot grasp that the quiet demeanor of the commanders during his unprecedented speech to them showcased their highest duty. Their composure showed fidelity to maintain their oath to the constitution. Through their calm they presented themselves as examples for the remainder of the officer corps and the troops.

They are not devoted to Trump or any personal following, but to his legal role.

They were being used as a backdrop for a political event, but they were unwilling to acting as political players.

Fundamental Lack of Comprehension

His inability to comprehend their stolidity in the presence of his provocations revealed his lack of understanding not only of the armed forces but the presidency under the legal system. As he became offended at their unresponsive silence his rebuke made clear that he viewed them simply as his tools.

The president had come on an urgent task for them to carry out. He was there to tell the military chiefs they were to be his unquestioning agents for the greatest change of military strategy since the "war on terror" – an unprecedented conflict to be fought against his viewed political opponents at home in contravention of the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which forbids the domestic use of the American armed forces as a police force.

Context and Presidential Measures

Every senior military leaders had been assembled for the historic gathering at the Marine Corps Base Quantico on the order of the secretary of defense. They had no idea for what momentous purpose they were being called. They dared not theorize that they were being assembled to be a captured crowd for a self-referential ego-driven presentation attempting to restore his reputation and assert his power.

But the military leaders could have obtained more than a hint that they were being rounded up for the latest chapter of political theater by reading the executive order Designating Antifa as a terror group, an "entity" that lacks formal structure. This was followed included a National Security Presidential Memorandum citing various incidents as justifications: "These incidents is not a series of unconnected incidents and doesn't originate naturally.

Philosophical Basis

Per the memorandum, a new "national strategy" would be implemented against an belief system of "opposition to America, opposition to capitalism, and anti-Christianity; advocacy of the overthrow of the federal government; extremism on immigration, ethnicity, and gender; and hostility towards those who hold conservative values on family, religion, and ethics."

These concepts were not a portrayal of an ideology so much as a hodgepodge of partisan shibboleths. If there were ideology expressed it was an undeveloped fascism based on a controlling impulse that conjured up an all-purpose enemy called "the opposition".

Defense Secretary's Performance

The theatrical presentation at Quantico began with the military leader darting rapidly on the stage. He acted as a motivational speaker as a military instructor with a publication to hawk – and a warm-up act for the main speaker.

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

Procedural Modifications and Contentious Statements

While serving as media host, the defense secretary had been a leading advocate for pardoning or granting clemency to service members charged or convicted of war crimes. He characterized them as "warriors" rather than "offenders".

Now, in his address, he announced he was clearing away "the debris". He promoted relaxing rules aimed at preventing forbidden force within the armed forces. He declared the "restructuring" of the oversight and informant complaint process, which would undermine safeguards and shield violent or careless offenders from responsibility.

He would, he said, impose selective measures of "unisex" or "masculine standard" physical standards for fighting positions, stating: "Should it result that no women qualify for some combat jobs, that's acceptable."

Aggressive Rhetoric and Service Reaction

The defense secretary strutted in front of the commanders, shouting vulgar language – "Fafo", or vulgar expression. "No more identity months, DEI offices, cross-dressing individuals. No more climate change worship. Stop division, diversion or gender delusions. No more debris. As I stated before and repeat again, we are finished with that nonsense."

The generals sat without reaction at his crude language that could be considered under the military legal system as a infraction against improper speech that "neglects to the prejudice of proper conduct and military standards".

Appearance Standards and Personal Observations

According to the speaker, it was the flabby generals who needed to work out like him. "It's completely improper to see overweight generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon and overseeing operations around the country and the globe. It's a bad look," he said. "Eliminate facial hair."

Concluding Observations and Political Context

At no point did the defense secretary mention "the Russian Federation" or "the Ukrainian nation". He offered not the slightest reference to Russia's massive missile attacks striking Ukraine, Russia's drones over European nations, the tensions over US uncertainty within the international coalition, or express anything that might be construed as a military consideration.

Following his threatening speech, the speaker made way for Donald Trump. The president displayed his customary disrespect for the armed forces by provoking them with an array of partisan insults to which they remained completely motionless.

During the course of his stream of consciousness, he introduced his new objective for the armed forces against the "internal threat", with large American cities as the "training grounds … the ones that are governed by the radical-left Democrats … And this is going to be a significant part for some of the people in this room. That's a war, too. It's a war from within." No response.