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Not a single dictator or aspiring dictator has previously gathered the complete high-ranking military leadership of their military in one room to belittle them as incompetent and humiliate them for their slovenly grooming standards, while degrading whole classes serving in the army, navy and air force as lesser and undeserving.

The former president is used to walking into events with energetic audiences applauding to music. "I've never walked into a room so silent before," he stated when addressing the nation's highest-ranking military commanders at the Marine Corps Base Quantico. "Don't laugh. Unsure if you're allowed to do that." He was attempting to elicit some amusement, an old entertainment tactic to energize a unresponsive audience. "Listen up, Just enjoy yourselves."

Trump's logic perfectly encapsulated his psychology of victimhood and approach of revenge. Should you fail to show deference to him, he is personally wounded. Your failure to worship him must be punished. Any disrespect of his majesty dooms you to destruction.

Armed Forces Discipline vs. Political Demands

Trump fails to understand that the silence of the commanders during his unprecedented speech to them showcased their highest duty. Their discipline showed fidelity to uphold their oath to the nation's founding document. Through their calm they represented themselves as examples for the rest of the officer corps and the troops.

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

They served as a background for a campaign-like rally, but they were unwilling to serving as partisan players.

Basic Misunderstanding

His failure to comprehend their stolidity in the presence of his challenges showed his lack of understanding not only of the military but the presidency under the legal system. As he took offense at their unresponsive silence his criticism made clear that he viewed them simply as his pawns.

Trump had arrived on an urgent mission for them to carry out. He was there to tell the armed forces leadership they were to be his obedient agents for the most significant change of military strategy since the "war on terror" – a new war to be fought against his perceived domestic rivals at home in violation of the federal law of 1878, which forbids the domestic deployment of the US military as a law enforcement agency.

Context and Presidential Measures

All the senior military leaders had been gathered for the unprecedented gathering at the Marine Corps Base Quantico on the order of the secretary of defense. They had no idea for what momentous occasion they were being called. They dared not theorize that they were being brought to be a captured audience for a self-referential vanity presentation seeking to rehabilitate his reputation and assert his authority.

But the commanders could have gotten more than a clue that they were being rounded up for the most recent episode 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 incidents as pretexts: "These incidents is not a series of isolated incidents and doesn't originate naturally.

Ideological Basis

According to the directive, a new "government approach" would be implemented against an ideology of "opposition to America, opposition to capitalism, and anti-Christianity; support for the removal of the United States Government; radical views on migration, ethnicity, and gender; and hostility towards those who hold traditional American views on family, faith, and ethics."

These vapors were not a portrayal of an ideology so much as a hodgepodge of partisan shibboleths. If there were ideology expressed it was an inchoate fascism based on a repressive drive that created an universal enemy called "the opposition".

Military Chief's Performance

The dramatic presentation at Quantico started with the military leader moving back and forth on the platform. He acted as a inspirational presenter as a military instructor with a book to hawk – and a opening performance for the headliner.

The former military reserve major said he had been "considered an radical"; he was flagged as a possible "insider threat" by colleagues. Despite multiple accounts of his alcoholism, he informed journalists in an conversation: "I have never had a alcohol issue," but then allegedly assured a senator that he would "not touch alcohol while I have this position."

Policy Changes and Contentious Statements

While serving as television personality, the defense secretary had been a prominent supporter for forgiving or showing mercy to service members accused or convicted of war crimes. He described them as "fighters" rather than "offenders".

Now, in his speech, he declared he was removing "unnecessary elements". He promoted loosening rules aimed at stopping prohibited violence within the armed forces. He declared the "restructuring" of the inspector general and informant complaint process, which would weaken legal protections and shield violent or reckless violators from responsibility.

He planned to, he said, implement selective measures of "gender-neutral" or "male level" physical standards for fighting positions, stating: "Should it result that no females qualify for some military positions, that's acceptable."

Confrontational Rhetoric and Military Response

The speaker swaggered in front of the military leaders, barking obscenities – "Fafo", or explicit language. "Eliminate identity months, DEI offices, cross-dressing individuals. No more climate change worship. Stop division, distraction or gender delusions. Remove unnecessary elements. As I've said before and repeat again, we are finished with that nonsense."

The generals sat without reaction at his vulgarity that could be considered under the military legal system as a infraction against improper speech that "fails to the prejudice of good order and military standards".

Appearance Standards and Individual Comments

According to the defense chief, it was the out-of-shape commanders who needed to work out following his example. "It's completely unacceptable to see overweight military leaders in the corridors of the Pentagon and leading commands around the country and the world. It's a bad look," he said. "Eliminate beardos."

Final Remarks and Political Context

At no point did the speaker mention "the Russian Federation" or "Ukraine". He made not the slightest mention to the Russian massive aerial assaults bombarding Ukraine, Russian drones over European nations, the strained relations over US uncertainty within the western alliance, or utter anything that might be interpreted as a military consideration.

Following his threatening address, the defense secretary stepped aside for the president. The president displayed his usual disrespect for the military by baiting them with an series of political barbs to which they remained rigidly unresponsive.

During the course of his rambling remarks, he dropped his new objective for the military against the "internal threat", with large American urban areas as the "preparation areas … the ones that are governed 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 combat from within." No response.