Military heads summoned for empty spectacle

Never had so many admirals and generals been summoned from Europe, Asia and the Middle East to a single military base. Because such a gathering has no apparent modern precedent, you would think that the event on Tuesday in Quantico, Virginia, was for a good reason. But that wasn’t the case.

- W.J. Hennigan

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s decision to fly in more than 800 of the United States’ most senior military officers to sit through two hours of speeches reflects how far the Pentagon has come in eight months of this administration, becoming subject to President Donald Trump’s politics and the idea that troops should be used at home.

The military was once again used as a backdrop for Mr Trump's ongoing clashes in America’s culture wars. What played out was largely a political rally performance in front of service members who, by rule, aren't allowed to engage in partisan activities.

Instead of hearing about a key strategic military shift or department restructuring, Mr Hegseth informed them about the administration’s plans to tighten fitness and grooming standards, before Mr Trump delivered an hour’s worth of gripes and ruminations on political life that included taking potshots at his immediate predecessor.