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Not a single dictator or aspiring dictator has previously assembled the complete high-ranking officer corps of their armed forces in a single location to belittle them as failures and humiliate them for their slovenly grooming standards, while degrading entire groups serving in the army, navy and air force as inferior and unworthy.

Donald Trump is accustomed to entering events with enthusiastic crowds applauding to music. "I've never entered a room so silent before," Trump stated when addressing the country's highest-ranking military leaders at the Marine Corps Base Quantico. "Don't laugh. Don't know if you're permitted to do that." He tried to force some laughter, an old performance tactic to rouse a dead audience. "You know what? Just have a good time."

His logic clearly demonstrated his mindset of feeling victimized and approach of revenge. If you do not show deference to him, he is personally wounded. The failure to worship him must be penalized. Your slight of his majesty dooms you to ruin.

Military Professionalism vs. Political Demands

Trump fails to understand that the quiet demeanor of the military leaders during his extraordinary address to them demonstrated their ultimate duty. Their discipline showed loyalty to maintain their oath to the constitution. Through their calm they represented themselves as models for the rest of the officer corps and the service members.

They aren't loyal to Trump or any cult of personality, but to his constitutional position.

They were being used as a backdrop for a campaign-like event, but they were resistant to acting as partisan participants.

Fundamental Lack of Comprehension

Trump's inability to understand their stolidity in the face of his challenges revealed his lack of understanding not only of the military but the executive office under the law. As he became offended at their stoney silence his rebuke made clear that he saw them simply as his tools.

Trump had arrived on an pressing task for them to execute. He was there to inform the military chiefs they were to be his obedient agents for the greatest change of defense policy since the "anti-terrorism campaign" – a new war to be waged against his perceived political opponents at home in contravention of the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which forbids the internal use of the American armed forces as a law enforcement agency.

Context and Executive Measures

All the senior generals had been gathered for the historic event at the Marine Corps Base Quantico on the order of the defense chief. They had no idea for what significant purpose they were being summoned. They wouldn't theorize that they were being brought to be a captive audience for a self-focused ego-driven presentation seeking to rehabilitate his image and establish his authority.

But the commanders could have gotten more than a hint that they were being assembled for the most recent chapter of political drama by reading the presidential directive Labeling Antifa as a Domestic Terrorist Organization, an "entity" that does not exist. Subsequent actions included a National Security Presidential Memorandum citing various events as justifications: "These incidents is not a collection of isolated events and doesn't originate organically.

Philosophical Framework

Per the directive, a new "government approach" would be enacted against an ideology of "opposition to America, opposition to capitalism, and anti-Christianity; support for the overthrow of the United States Government; radical views on immigration, race, and sex; and hostility towards those who hold conservative values on family structure, religion, and ethics."

These concepts were not a description of an philosophy so much as a mixture of political shibboleths. Should any belief system expressed it was an undeveloped authoritarianism based on a controlling drive that conjured up an universal enemy called "the opposition".

Military Chief's Performance

The theatrical display at Quantico started with the defense secretary moving back and forth on the stage. He was a inspirational presenter as a drill sergeant with a publication to hawk – and a warm-up act for the headliner.

The ex military reserve major said he had been "deemed an radical"; he was identified as a possible "security risk" by fellow officers. Despite numerous accounts of his drinking issues, he informed media in an conversation: "I never had a drinking problem," but then allegedly assured a legislator that he would "not touch alcohol while I have this role."

Policy Changes and Controversial Remarks

While serving as television personality, the defense secretary had been a leading supporter for pardoning or granting clemency to service members charged or found guilty of war crimes. He characterized them as "fighters" rather than "offenders".

Now, in his speech, he declared he was removing "the debris". He promoted loosening regulations aimed at stopping prohibited violence within the armed forces. He declared the "overhauling" of the oversight and informant reporting system, which would weaken legal protections and shield aggressive or careless violators from responsibility.

He planned to, he said, impose discriminatory measures of "unisex" or "male level" physical standards for fighting positions, saying: "If that means no females meet standards for some military positions, that's acceptable."

Confrontational Language and Service Reaction

The defense secretary strutted in front of the military leaders, shouting vulgar language – "Fafo", or vulgar expression. "No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses. End environmental focus. Stop division, distraction or identity issues. No more debris. As I've said before and repeat again, we are done with that nonsense."

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

Appearance Requirements and Personal Comments

Per the defense chief, it was the out-of-shape commanders who required to exercise like him. "It's totally improper to see overweight generals and admirals in the corridors of the Pentagon and leading commands around the country and the globe. It's a bad look," he said. "Eliminate facial hair."

Final Observations and Governmental Background

At no point did the speaker mention "Russia" or "the Ukrainian nation". He made not the slightest mention to Russia's huge aerial assaults bombarding Ukraine, Russia's unmanned aircraft over neighboring countries, the strained relations over US wavering within the western alliance, or express anything that might be interpreted as a military consideration.

After his menacing address, the defense secretary stepped aside for Donald Trump. Trump displayed his usual contempt for the military by baiting them with an series of political barbs to which they remained rigidly motionless.

In the middle of his rambling remarks, he dropped his new mission for the armed forces against the "enemy from within", with major American urban areas as the "preparation areas … the ones that are run by the radical-left Democrats … 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." No response.