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Not a single dictator or aspiring dictator has previously assembled the complete senior military leadership of their military in one room to belittle them as failures and embarrass them for their slovenly personal appearance, while insulting entire groups serving in the military branches as lesser and unworthy.

The former president is used to entering events with energetic audiences applauding to music. "I have never walked into a room so quiet before," Trump remarked when addressing the country's top military leaders at the Marine Corps Base Quantico. "No laughing. Unsure if you're permitted to do that." He was attempting to elicit some laughter, an old performance tactic to energize a unresponsive audience. "Listen up, Just have a good time."

His logic perfectly encapsulated his psychology of feeling victimized and approach of retribution. If you fail to show deference to him, he is deeply offended. Your failure to worship him deserves to be penalized. Your slight of his majesty condemns you to ruin.

Armed Forces Discipline vs. Political Expectations

The speaker fails to understand that the silence of the military leaders during his unprecedented speech to them showcased their highest responsibility. Their composure displayed loyalty to maintain their oath to the constitution. Through their calm they represented themselves as models for the remainder of the military leadership and the service members.

They are not loyal to Trump or any personal following, but to his constitutional position.

They served as a backdrop for a political event, but they were unwilling to serving as partisan players.

Basic Lack of Comprehension

His inability to comprehend their steadfastness in the face of his provocations revealed his incomprehension not only of the armed forces but the executive office under the law. As he took offense at their unresponsive silence his rebuke disclosed that he saw them simply as his pawns.

Trump had come on an urgent task for them to carry out. His purpose to inform the military chiefs they were to be his unquestioning agents for the most significant change of defense policy since the "anti-terrorism campaign" – a new war to be waged against his viewed political opponents at home in contravention of the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which prohibits the internal use of the US military as a police force.

Context and Executive Measures

All the senior generals had been assembled for the unprecedented gathering at the Marine Corps Base Quantico on the order of the defense chief. They had no idea for what momentous occasion they were being called. They dared not speculate that they were being assembled to be a captive crowd for a self-focused vanity presentation seeking to rehabilitate his reputation and establish his authority.

But the military leaders could have obtained more than a clue that they were being assembled for the latest chapter of political drama by reading the presidential directive Designating Antifa as a terror group, an "organization" that does not exist. This was followed included a security directive citing various events as justifications: "This political violence is not a series of unconnected events and doesn't originate naturally.

Ideological Framework

According to the directive, a new "government approach" would be implemented against an belief system of "anti-Americanism, opposition to capitalism, and anti-Christianity; advocacy of the overthrow of the United States Government; radical views on migration, race, and gender; and opposition towards those who hold traditional American views 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 ideology expressed it was an inchoate fascism based on a repressive drive that created an universal enemy called "Antifa".

Military Chief's Presentation

The dramatic presentation at Quantico started with the military leader moving rapidly on the platform. He acted as a motivational speaker as a military instructor with a book to hawk – and a warm-up act for the main speaker.

The ex national guard major said he had been "deemed an extremist"; he was flagged as a possible "security risk" by fellow officers. Despite multiple accounts of his alcoholism, he told journalists in an interview: "I never had a alcohol issue," but then reportedly assured a legislator that he would "not touch alcohol while I have this position."

Procedural Changes and Contentious Remarks

As a media host, the defense secretary had been a leading advocate for forgiving or showing mercy to military personnel charged or found guilty of war crimes. He described them as "warriors" rather than "offenders".

Now, in his speech, he declared he was removing "the debris". He promoted loosening regulations aimed at preventing forbidden force within the armed forces. He announced the "restructuring" of the inspector general and whistleblower complaint process, which would weaken safeguards and protect aggressive or reckless offenders from responsibility.

He would, he said, impose selective measures of "unisex" or "male level" fitness requirements for fighting positions, saying: "Should it result that no females meet standards for some military positions, that's acceptable."

Confrontational Rhetoric and Service Reaction

The defense secretary swaggered in front of the commanders, barking vulgar language – "Fafo", or explicit language. "No more heritage observances, DEI offices, dudes in dresses. No more climate change worship. Stop division, distraction or gender delusions. No more debris. As I stated before and repeat again, we are finished with that nonsense."

The military leaders sat expressionless at his vulgarity that could be charged under the Uniform Military Code of Justice as a infraction against indecent language that "fails to the detriment of proper conduct and discipline".

Appearance Standards and Personal Observations

Per the defense chief, it was the out-of-shape commanders who required to exercise following his example. "It's completely unacceptable to see overweight generals and admirals in the corridors of the Pentagon and overseeing operations around the country and the globe. It appears unprofessional," he said. "No more facial hair."

Concluding Remarks and Political Background

At no point did the speaker mention "Russia" or "Ukraine". He offered not the smallest reference to the Russian huge missile attacks bombarding Ukraine, Russia's unmanned aircraft over European nations, the tensions over US wavering within the international coalition, or utter anything that might be construed as a military consideration.

After his menacing address, the defense secretary stepped aside for Donald Trump. Trump displayed his usual disrespect for the armed forces by baiting them with an array of partisan barbs to which they remained completely motionless.

During the course of his rambling remarks, he introduced his new mission for the military against the "enemy from within", with large American cities as the "training grounds … the ones that are governed by the progressive politicians … And this is going to be a significant role for some of the individuals in this room. This represents conflict, too. It's combat from within." Silence.