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Not a single dictator or aspiring dictator has ever assembled the entire senior officer corps of their armed forces in a single location to belittle them as incompetent and embarrass them for their slovenly grooming standards, while degrading entire groups serving in the army, navy and air force as lesser and unworthy.

Donald Trump is used to walking into gatherings with enthusiastic audiences cheering to music. "I have never entered a room so silent before," Trump remarked when speaking to the country's highest-ranking military leaders at the Marine Corps Base Quantico. "Don't laugh. Don't know if you're allowed to do that." He tried to elicit some amusement, an old entertainment tactic to energize a unresponsive audience. "You know what? Just enjoy yourselves."

Trump's syllogism clearly demonstrated his mindset of feeling victimized and approach of revenge. Should you fail to show deference to him, he is personally offended. Your failure to worship him must be punished. Your slight of his majesty dooms you to destruction.

Military Discipline vs. Political Demands

The speaker fails to understand that the silence of the commanders during his unprecedented address to them showcased their highest duty. Their discipline showed fidelity to uphold their oath to the nation's founding document. Through their calm they presented themselves as examples for the remainder of the officer corps and the service members.

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

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

Fundamental Misunderstanding

Trump's inability to comprehend their stolidity in the presence of his provocations showed his incomprehension not only of the military but the executive office under the law. When he became offended at their stoney silence his criticism made clear that he viewed them simply as his tools.

The president had come on an pressing task for them to execute. He was there to inform the military chiefs they were to be his unquestioning instruments for the most significant change of military strategy since the "war on terror" – an unprecedented conflict to be fought against his viewed domestic rivals at home in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which prohibits the internal use of the US military as a police force.

Context and Presidential Actions

Every senior generals had been gathered for the unprecedented gathering at the Marine Corps Base Quantico on the directive of the defense chief. They possessed no idea for what momentous purpose they were being summoned. They dared not theorize that they were being brought to be a captured audience for a self-focused vanity presentation seeking to restore his image and establish his power.

However 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 executive order Labeling an activist movement as a terror group, an "entity" that does not exist. This was followed included a security directive citing multiple incidents as justifications: "These incidents is not a series of unconnected events and does not emerge organically.

Ideological Framework

According to the directive, a new "national strategy" would be implemented against an belief system of "opposition to America, anti-capitalism, and anti-Christianity; support for the removal of the federal government; radical views on migration, race, and sex; and hostility towards those who hold traditional American views on family structure, religion, and morality."

These vapors were not a description of an ideology so much as a mixture of political catchphrases. If there were belief system expressed it was an inchoate authoritarianism based on a controlling drive that conjured up an universal enemy called "the opposition".

Defense Secretary's Presentation

The theatrical display at Quantico began with the defense secretary darting back and forth on the stage. He acted as a inspirational presenter as a drill sergeant with a book to hawk – and a warm-up act for the main speaker.

The former military reserve major said he had been "deemed an extremist"; he was flagged as a possible "security risk" by colleagues. Despite numerous accounts of his alcoholism, he told journalists in an conversation: "I have never had a drinking problem," but then allegedly promised a legislator that he would "avoid alcohol while I have this role."

Procedural Modifications and Controversial Statements

As a media host, the speaker had been a prominent advocate for forgiving or granting clemency to military personnel charged or found guilty of war crimes. He described them as "fighters" rather than "war criminals".

Currently, in his address, he announced he was clearing away "unnecessary elements". He promoted relaxing rules aimed at preventing forbidden violence within the armed forces. He declared the "overhauling" of the oversight and informant complaint process, which would weaken legal protections and protect violent or careless violators from responsibility.

He planned to, he said, impose selective measures of "gender-neutral" or "male level" physical standards for combat roles, stating: "Should it result that no women qualify for some combat jobs, that's acceptable."

Confrontational Rhetoric and Military Reaction

The speaker strutted in front of the commanders, shouting vulgar language – "Acronym for explicit phrase", or explicit language. "No more heritage observances, diversity initiatives, cross-dressing individuals. No more environmental focus. No more division, diversion or identity issues. Remove debris. As I've said before and repeat again, we are done with that shit."

The military leaders sat without reaction at his crude language that could be charged under the Uniform Military Code of Justice as a infraction against improper speech that "fails to the prejudice of good order and discipline".

Appearance Requirements and Personal Comments

According to the defense chief, it was the out-of-shape generals who required to work out following his example. "It's totally improper to see fat 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 beardos."

Concluding Observations and Governmental Background

At no point did the defense secretary mention "the Russian Federation" or "Ukraine". He offered not the smallest reference to Russia's huge missile attacks striking Ukraine, Russian drones over neighboring countries, the strained relations over US uncertainty within the international coalition, or express anything that might be construed as a military consideration.

Following his menacing speech, the defense secretary made way for the president. The president displayed his usual disrespect for the armed forces by baiting them with an array of partisan barbs to which they remained completely 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 "training grounds … the ones that are governed by the progressive politicians … And this is going to be a significant part for some of the individuals in this room. That's a war, too. It's a war from within." No response.