QUANTICO, Va.—About 730 U.S. navy generals, admirals, and senior enlisted troops attended a historic gathering at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia on Sept. 30 to listen to President Donald Trump and Secretary of Battle Pete Hegseth convey a shift in navy tradition below Trump’s management.
All through their remarks, Trump and Hegseth emphasised a need to put off the “woke” social and cultural traits of latest years, criticized the route of the navy below earlier leaders, and invited these in attendance who disagreed to make their objections identified and resign.
Listed here are 5 key factors from Trump’s and Hegseth’s remarks.
Warrior Emphasis
The gathering of navy leaders comes simply weeks after the Trump administration rebranded the Division of Protection because the Division of Battle. Of their addresses, Trump and Hegseth each referred to the renaming as a sign of a cultural shift within the navy.
“From this moment forward, the only mission of the newly restored Department of War is this: warfighting, preparing for war, and preparing to win,” Hegseth stated.
Hegseth stated the emphasis on warfare doesn’t come from a need for extra warfare, however from the conclusion that energy can deter warfare within the first place.
“Another way to put it is: peace through strength, brought to you by the warrior ethos,” Hegseth stated. “And we are restoring both.”
In his remarks, Trump touted the brand new division title and vowed additional steps to strengthen the rebranded id of the division.
“I love the name. I think it’s so great. I think it stops wars. The Department of War is going to stop wars, if we are as ruthless and relentless as our enemies,” the president stated.
Trump and Hegseth each highlighted constructive navy recruiting and retention traits in latest months, attributing them to their efforts to strengthen the forces.
“The tougher and the higher the standards in our units, the higher the retention rates in those units. Warriors want to be challenged. Troops want to be tested,” Hegseth stated.
At one level in his speech, Trump touted his dedication to spending greater than $1 trillion on navy and protection gadgets in fiscal 12 months 2026, and plans for brand new navy techniques just like the F-47 stealth fighter and the “Golden Dome” missile protection community.
Health, Grooming, and Coaching Requirements
A focus of Hegseth’s remarks centered on elevating requirements throughout the forces.
“The new War Department golden rule is this: Do unto your unit as you would have done unto your own child’s unit,” he stated.
“Would you want him serving with fat or unfit or under-trained troops, or alongside people who can’t meet basic standards, or in a unit where standards were lowered so certain types of troops could make it in, in a unit where leaders were promoted for reasons other than merit, performance, and war-fighting? The answer is not just ‘No,’ it’s ‘Hell, no.’”
Hegseth stated every navy service has been directed to make sure that troops serving in designated fight arms positions meet the best male health service requirements. He stated troops in fight arms roles would even be made to cross further discipline proficiency exams.
The Secretary of Battle stated the brand new health emphasis in fight arms roles shouldn’t be meant to maintain girls from such fight roles.
“If women can make it, excellent. If not, it is what it is. If that means no women qualify for some combat jobs, so be it,” he stated.
Citing the core credo of the Marine Corps, “Every Marine a rifleman,” Hegseth stated even these troops not particularly designated for fight arms roles ought to have a baseline diploma of fight proficiency.
“The nature of the evolving threat environment demands that everyone, in every job, must be ready to join the fight if needed,” he stated.
Amid the push for increased requirements, Hegseth additionally reiterated his give attention to a return to strict grooming necessities.
Hegseth linked relaxed grooming requirements to a broader development of falling self-discipline in different areas of navy life, saying, “When you let the small stuff go, the big stuff eventually goes. So, you have to address the small stuff.”
Ending ‘Woke’ Applications, Overhauling HR Practices
Throughout his speech, Hegseth stated that previous management of the Division of Protection had turned it into the “Woke Department” by variety, fairness, and inclusion applications, efforts to attraction to the LGBT neighborhood, and makes an attempt to undertake electrical autos and different native carbon choices throughout the navy gear fleets.
“No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses. No more climate change worship. No more division, distraction, or gender delusions. No more debris,” Hegseth stated.
The Secretary of Battle stated he would situation further insurance policies to overtake the navy’s inspector basic and equal alternative workplaces.
He stated the inspector basic course of “has been weaponized” and is “putting complainers, ideologues, and poor performers in the driver’s seat.”
As for the equal alternative applications, he stated: “No more frivolous complaints. No more anonymous complaints. No more repeat complainants. No more smearing reputations. No more endless waiting. No more legal limbo. No more sidetracking careers. No more walking on eggshells.”
Troop Deployments in US Cities
Trump’s remarks had been much less centered on particular new insurance policies for the navy and extra typically lined his use of U.S. troops in each international coverage and homeland safety selections.
In June, the president ordered the deployment of U.S. Marines and Nationwide Guard troops to protect federal property in Los Angeles, amid confrontations between federal immigration authorities and opposing demonstrators.
In August, Trump additionally ordered a deployment of Nationwide Guard troops in Washington, D.C., as a part of a broader effort to deal with crime within the nation’s capital. He has since mentioned plans for added troop deployments in Portland, Baltimore, Chicago, Memphis, and New Orleans.
“The Democrats run most of the cities that are in bad shape,” the president advised the gathered navy leaders.
Trump indicated he intends to proceed calling on the navy as a part of his mannequin for addressing crime in city areas.
“We’re going to straighten them out one by one. And this is going to be a major part for some of the people in this room. That’s a war, too. It’s a war from within,” he stated.
Culling Army Leadership
Throughout his dialogue about elevating requirements and discontinuing sure “woke” insurance policies, Hegseth talked concerning the Trump administration’s choice to shrink the navy management.
Hegseth stated that as he has thought-about latest firing suggestions, he has tried to tell apart between which navy officers are merely obeying the orders of civilian leaders below prior presidencies, and which of them “are truly invested in the ‘Woke Department’ and therefore incapable of embracing the War Department and executing new lawful orders.”
The Secretary of Battle stated extra management adjustments would come.
“I look out at this group and I see great Americans, leaders who have given decades to our great republic at great sacrifice to yourselves and to your families,” he stated. “But if the words I’m speaking today are making your heart sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign. We would thank you for your service.”
Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.
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