‘No More Dudes in Dresses’: Hegseth Targets ‘Woke’ Diversity, ‘Nordic Pagans’ and ‘Beardos’
September 30, 2025
By David Badash
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth addressed hundreds of generals and admirals flown in from cross the globe, outlining his new standards for America’s armed forces: no focus on diversity, no race or gender quotas, no ban on toxic leaders and hazing, no “woke,” and no “beardos.”
“An entire generation of generals and admirals were told that they must parrot the insane fallacy that our diversity is our strength,” Secretary Hegseth declared. “Of course, we know our unity is our strength.
“They had to put out dizzying DEI and LGBTQI+ statements. They were told females and males are the same thing. Or that males who think they’re females are totally normal. They were told that we need a green fleet and electric tanks. They were told to kick out Americans who refuse an emergency vaccine,” he said.
“For too long, we’ve promoted too many uniformed leaders for the wrong reasons,” he continued. “Based on their race. Based on gender quotas. Based on historic so-called ‘firsts’. We’ve pretended that combat arms and non-combat arms are the same thing. We’ve weeded out so-called toxic leaders under the guise of double-blind psychology assessments, promoting risk-averse go-along-to-get-along conformists instead.”
“We became the Woke Department. But not anymore,” he vowed.
“This administration has done a great deal from day one,” the Defense chief also said. “To remove the social justice, politically correct, and toxic ideological garbage that had infected our department. To rip out the politics.”
“No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses,” he said. “No more climate change worship. No more division, distraction, or gender delusions. No more debris.”
“As I’ve said before, and will say again, we are done with that s–.”
Hegseth also made clear that he was returning to the days of the past in other ways.
“Basic training is being restored to what it should be: scary, tough, and disciplined. We’re empowering drill sergeants to instill healthy fear in new recruits. Ensuring that future war fighters are forged. Yes, they can shark attack, they can toss bunks, they can swear. And, yes, they can put their hands on recruits. This does not mean they can be reckless or violate the law, but they can use tried and true methods to ‘motivate,'” he said.
And he addressed “grooming standards,” declaring that beards are not allowed.
“No more beards, long hair, superficial individual expression. We gonna cut our hair, shave our beards, and adhere to standards. Because it’s like the broken windows theory of policing. It’s like, you let the small stuff go, the big stuff eventually goes. So you have to address the small stuff.”
“If you want a beard, you can join Special Forces. If not, then shave. We don’t have a military full of Nordic pagans, but unfortunately, we have had leaders who either refuse to call BS and enforce standards, or leaders who felt like they were not allowed to enforce standards.”
“And that’s why today, at my direction, the era of unprofessional appearance is over,” he professed. “No more beardos.”
September 30, 2025
By David Badash
THE NEW CIVIL RIGHTS MOVMENT
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth addressed hundreds of generals and admirals flown in from cross the globe, outlining his new standards for America’s armed forces: no focus on diversity, no race or gender quotas, no ban on toxic leaders and hazing, no “woke,” and no “beardos.”
“An entire generation of generals and admirals were told that they must parrot the insane fallacy that our diversity is our strength,” Secretary Hegseth declared. “Of course, we know our unity is our strength.
“They had to put out dizzying DEI and LGBTQI+ statements. They were told females and males are the same thing. Or that males who think they’re females are totally normal. They were told that we need a green fleet and electric tanks. They were told to kick out Americans who refuse an emergency vaccine,” he said.
“For too long, we’ve promoted too many uniformed leaders for the wrong reasons,” he continued. “Based on their race. Based on gender quotas. Based on historic so-called ‘firsts’. We’ve pretended that combat arms and non-combat arms are the same thing. We’ve weeded out so-called toxic leaders under the guise of double-blind psychology assessments, promoting risk-averse go-along-to-get-along conformists instead.”
“We became the Woke Department. But not anymore,” he vowed.
“This administration has done a great deal from day one,” the Defense chief also said. “To remove the social justice, politically correct, and toxic ideological garbage that had infected our department. To rip out the politics.”
“No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses,” he said. “No more climate change worship. No more division, distraction, or gender delusions. No more debris.”
“As I’ve said before, and will say again, we are done with that s–.”
Hegseth also made clear that he was returning to the days of the past in other ways.
“Basic training is being restored to what it should be: scary, tough, and disciplined. We’re empowering drill sergeants to instill healthy fear in new recruits. Ensuring that future war fighters are forged. Yes, they can shark attack, they can toss bunks, they can swear. And, yes, they can put their hands on recruits. This does not mean they can be reckless or violate the law, but they can use tried and true methods to ‘motivate,'” he said.
And he addressed “grooming standards,” declaring that beards are not allowed.
“No more beards, long hair, superficial individual expression. We gonna cut our hair, shave our beards, and adhere to standards. Because it’s like the broken windows theory of policing. It’s like, you let the small stuff go, the big stuff eventually goes. So you have to address the small stuff.”
“If you want a beard, you can join Special Forces. If not, then shave. We don’t have a military full of Nordic pagans, but unfortunately, we have had leaders who either refuse to call BS and enforce standards, or leaders who felt like they were not allowed to enforce standards.”
“And that’s why today, at my direction, the era of unprofessional appearance is over,” he professed. “No more beardos.”
Hegseth scolded on Fox News over televised speech: 'Something you'd see in China'
Robert Davis
September 30, 2025
RAW STORY
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, in Quantico, Virginia, U.S., September 30, 2025. In an unprecedented gathering, almost 800 generals, admirals and their senior enlisted leaders have been ordered into one location from around the world on short notice.
Robert Davis
September 30, 2025
RAW STORY
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, in Quantico, Virginia, U.S., September 30, 2025. In an unprecedented gathering, almost 800 generals, admirals and their senior enlisted leaders have been ordered into one location from around the world on short notice.
Andrew Harnik/Pool via REUTERS
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was scolded Tuesday by a Fox News host who said the Pentagon chief's televised speech reminded him of "something that might happen in China or North Korea."
Harold Ford, Jr., a former Democratic congressman from Tennessee and co-host of the Fox News show "The Five," talked about Hegseth's speech to the American military's top brass on Tuesday morning. During the meeting, Hegseth told military leaders that there would no longer be any "woke" policies and that the military would return to male-oriented standards.
Some military leaders described the meeting as a "waste of time" and an "insult."
"I didn't like the televised part of this," Ford said. "Because it reminded me of something that might happen in China or North Korea."
"If I were an adversary of the United States... and I'm watching this, I'm not convinced I would be more fearful of the United States or wanting to be more like them," he added.
Ford also took issue with the new moniker that Hegseth and President Donald Trump have come up with for the Department of Defense, calling it instead the Department of War.
"It should be called the Department of Deterrence," Ford said. "President Trump is the first president in my lifetime who openly talks about not wanting war, wanting to end wars, wanting to get people out of wars. Even when they're not Americans shedding blood, he has shown compassion on behalf of the Ukrainians and the Russians."
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was scolded Tuesday by a Fox News host who said the Pentagon chief's televised speech reminded him of "something that might happen in China or North Korea."
Harold Ford, Jr., a former Democratic congressman from Tennessee and co-host of the Fox News show "The Five," talked about Hegseth's speech to the American military's top brass on Tuesday morning. During the meeting, Hegseth told military leaders that there would no longer be any "woke" policies and that the military would return to male-oriented standards.
Some military leaders described the meeting as a "waste of time" and an "insult."
"I didn't like the televised part of this," Ford said. "Because it reminded me of something that might happen in China or North Korea."
"If I were an adversary of the United States... and I'm watching this, I'm not convinced I would be more fearful of the United States or wanting to be more like them," he added.
Ford also took issue with the new moniker that Hegseth and President Donald Trump have come up with for the Department of Defense, calling it instead the Department of War.
"It should be called the Department of Deterrence," Ford said. "President Trump is the first president in my lifetime who openly talks about not wanting war, wanting to end wars, wanting to get people out of wars. Even when they're not Americans shedding blood, he has shown compassion on behalf of the Ukrainians and the Russians."
A tiny Pete Hegseth preaches to America's military giants
Nick Anderson.
Nick Anderson.
Raw Story
September 30, 2025
Nick Anderson/Raw Story
Nick Anderson is a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist
September 30, 2025
Nick Anderson/Raw Story
Nick Anderson is a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist
'Disbelief': Pentagon reporter can't find one military official who liked Hegseth's speech
Sarah K. Burris
September 30, 2025
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, U.S., September 30, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Pool via REUTERS
Longtime Pentagon reporter Helene Cooper said that she can't find any military officials who attended the meeting in Virginia with President Donald Trump and Secretary Pete Hegseth and liked what they heard.
"I have yet to find a single military official who was in the audience today who thought that this was a good presentation," she told MSNBC on Tuesday afternoon.
"All I've had from them so far, from the people I've talked to, is a combination of disbelief that some of them were made to fly from, some of them, Asia, from all over the world ... all the way to Quanico to listen to the same familiar type of culture war complaints that we've been having since Trump was reelected," she added, calling Trump's remarks a "campaign-style stump speech."
"Nothing that was said today could not have been put in an email or in a directive. So there's that, to begin with. There's also the fact that so much of this was partisan, and this is a military that is supposed to present itself as nonpartisan. So you didn't hear the kind of cheering that we usually get, because President Trump is used to playing for the type of crowds that favor him," Cooper explained. "And so he's not very used to performing in front of an audience that's just giving, looking back stone-faced. But that's what you were getting from these generals."
The other thing she noted is that she's gotten "so many emails from women in the military" who are seeing this as a message "that they are not welcome."
Hegseth has opposed having women in combat roles.
“I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles. It hasn’t made us more effective. Hasn’t made us more lethal. Has made fighting more complicated,” Hegseth told a podcast hosted by Shawn Ryan on Nov. 7, 2024.
However, Hegseth has promoted content on his social media from a pastor who believes women shouldn't be working at all. Hegseth even shared a video of that pastor saying women shouldn't vote.
Sarah K. Burris
September 30, 2025
RAW STORY
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, U.S., September 30, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Pool via REUTERS
Longtime Pentagon reporter Helene Cooper said that she can't find any military officials who attended the meeting in Virginia with President Donald Trump and Secretary Pete Hegseth and liked what they heard.
"I have yet to find a single military official who was in the audience today who thought that this was a good presentation," she told MSNBC on Tuesday afternoon.
"All I've had from them so far, from the people I've talked to, is a combination of disbelief that some of them were made to fly from, some of them, Asia, from all over the world ... all the way to Quanico to listen to the same familiar type of culture war complaints that we've been having since Trump was reelected," she added, calling Trump's remarks a "campaign-style stump speech."
"Nothing that was said today could not have been put in an email or in a directive. So there's that, to begin with. There's also the fact that so much of this was partisan, and this is a military that is supposed to present itself as nonpartisan. So you didn't hear the kind of cheering that we usually get, because President Trump is used to playing for the type of crowds that favor him," Cooper explained. "And so he's not very used to performing in front of an audience that's just giving, looking back stone-faced. But that's what you were getting from these generals."
The other thing she noted is that she's gotten "so many emails from women in the military" who are seeing this as a message "that they are not welcome."
Hegseth has opposed having women in combat roles.
“I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles. It hasn’t made us more effective. Hasn’t made us more lethal. Has made fighting more complicated,” Hegseth told a podcast hosted by Shawn Ryan on Nov. 7, 2024.
However, Hegseth has promoted content on his social media from a pastor who believes women shouldn't be working at all. Hegseth even shared a video of that pastor saying women shouldn't vote.
Bizarre Trump ramble to military seen as 'truly significant turning point' in presidency
Travis Gettys
September 30, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a meeting of senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Quantico, Virginia, U.S., September 30, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sparked concerns with his unusual order summoning hundreds of military commanders to Virginia for an all-hands meeting — but it the speech by President Donald Trump that left onlookers really confused.
The president and his Pentagon chief pledged to end "woke" and "politically correct" policies they believe had undermined military readiness, but neither speech seemed to justify the extraordinary order summoning the top brass from posts around the world to a Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia, in the eyes of many observers.
"Pete Hegseth has recalled America's top military leaders from around the world for a meeting that's livestreamed on Fox," said the Capitol Hunters account. "It truly could have been a Zoom call."
"It’s really funny that Hegseth’s little GI Joe fantasy league speech was met with… silence," noted writer Roxane Gay.
"I didn’t want America to go fascist. I think that is very bad," posted Nicholas Grossman, international relations professor at University of Illinois. "But I take some solace in the fact that we got such stupid, petty fascists, the sort who order an in-person meeting of military leaders not to execute a large-scale purge, but to make them listen to him wax philosophical about gender."
"I'm still thinking it out but it sort of feels like this is the only form a fascist project could take in the America of this century," replied Bluesky user First Wordle Problems. Entirely phony and aspirational, assembled from bits of popular culture and popular pyschology. With no mass following committed to it in any real way."
"Hegseth complained about fatties and beardos, and now Trump is bragging about the quality of stationary [sic] he uses," added historian Kevin Kruse. "Their 'warrior ethos' is all about appearances, nothing more. Which is ironic because Trump looks and sounds like a-- here."
"Trump is now saying (and I am not making this up) that the U.S. should build more battleships because of a black-and-white movie he likes," wrote journalist Philip Bump. "Trump notes than in World War II they were building a ship a day but we don't build ships anymore. Does he … not realize that the military needs of 2025 are different than those of 1945?"
"Everything else aside (and it’s a lot) he sounds 100 years old," noted MSNBC's Chris Hayes.
"A serving member of the military might be court-martialed for saying in public what Trump did here," argued journalist James Fallows, reacting to Trump disclosing the U.S. had recently deployed a nuclear submarine near Russia. "The entire *point* of super-quiet submarines is that adversaries do not know where they are. Navy goes to extreme lengths to conceal any clues to their location."
"Bombing my big stand-up special in front of a totally silent room of generals," joked writer David J. Roth. "'What else, what else. Bagram Air Force Base, we're going to do that again, okay? And we're going to do it the right way: through specific types of tattoos, and haircuts.'"
"Trump opens with a threat to the generals: 'I've never walked into a room so silent … Have a good time. And if you want to applaud, you applaud ... If you don't like what I'm saying, you can leave the room. Of course, there goes your rank, there goes your future. but you just feel nice and loose,'" noted MSNBC producer Kyle Griffith.
"There have been a lot of rubicons crossed, norms destroyed, principles abandoned, ideals betrayed over the past 10 months but this seems like a truly significant turning point," added historian Paul Cohen.
"Pathetic," sighed writer Gary Legum, reacting to Hegseth's remarks. "Just a pathetic, weak coward overcompensating for his deep insecurities."
"We all know this 'warfighters' talk isn't about convincing our military to do anything except kill more civilians, specifically American civilians," argued the LOLGOP account. "That's the only new thing here."
"If I were a would-be dictator whose only civilian check on power had been consumed by total-complete partisan loyalty, something I would definitely do is call an unprecedented in-person meeting of the only people who could stop me and then proceed to illustrate why they should stop me," wrote journalist Timothy Burke.
Travis Gettys
September 30, 2025
RAW STORY
U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a meeting of senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Quantico, Virginia, U.S., September 30, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sparked concerns with his unusual order summoning hundreds of military commanders to Virginia for an all-hands meeting — but it the speech by President Donald Trump that left onlookers really confused.
The president and his Pentagon chief pledged to end "woke" and "politically correct" policies they believe had undermined military readiness, but neither speech seemed to justify the extraordinary order summoning the top brass from posts around the world to a Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia, in the eyes of many observers.
"Pete Hegseth has recalled America's top military leaders from around the world for a meeting that's livestreamed on Fox," said the Capitol Hunters account. "It truly could have been a Zoom call."
"It’s really funny that Hegseth’s little GI Joe fantasy league speech was met with… silence," noted writer Roxane Gay.
"I didn’t want America to go fascist. I think that is very bad," posted Nicholas Grossman, international relations professor at University of Illinois. "But I take some solace in the fact that we got such stupid, petty fascists, the sort who order an in-person meeting of military leaders not to execute a large-scale purge, but to make them listen to him wax philosophical about gender."
"I'm still thinking it out but it sort of feels like this is the only form a fascist project could take in the America of this century," replied Bluesky user First Wordle Problems. Entirely phony and aspirational, assembled from bits of popular culture and popular pyschology. With no mass following committed to it in any real way."
"Hegseth complained about fatties and beardos, and now Trump is bragging about the quality of stationary [sic] he uses," added historian Kevin Kruse. "Their 'warrior ethos' is all about appearances, nothing more. Which is ironic because Trump looks and sounds like a-- here."
"Trump is now saying (and I am not making this up) that the U.S. should build more battleships because of a black-and-white movie he likes," wrote journalist Philip Bump. "Trump notes than in World War II they were building a ship a day but we don't build ships anymore. Does he … not realize that the military needs of 2025 are different than those of 1945?"
"Everything else aside (and it’s a lot) he sounds 100 years old," noted MSNBC's Chris Hayes.
"A serving member of the military might be court-martialed for saying in public what Trump did here," argued journalist James Fallows, reacting to Trump disclosing the U.S. had recently deployed a nuclear submarine near Russia. "The entire *point* of super-quiet submarines is that adversaries do not know where they are. Navy goes to extreme lengths to conceal any clues to their location."
"Bombing my big stand-up special in front of a totally silent room of generals," joked writer David J. Roth. "'What else, what else. Bagram Air Force Base, we're going to do that again, okay? And we're going to do it the right way: through specific types of tattoos, and haircuts.'"
"Trump opens with a threat to the generals: 'I've never walked into a room so silent … Have a good time. And if you want to applaud, you applaud ... If you don't like what I'm saying, you can leave the room. Of course, there goes your rank, there goes your future. but you just feel nice and loose,'" noted MSNBC producer Kyle Griffith.
"There have been a lot of rubicons crossed, norms destroyed, principles abandoned, ideals betrayed over the past 10 months but this seems like a truly significant turning point," added historian Paul Cohen.
"Pathetic," sighed writer Gary Legum, reacting to Hegseth's remarks. "Just a pathetic, weak coward overcompensating for his deep insecurities."
"We all know this 'warfighters' talk isn't about convincing our military to do anything except kill more civilians, specifically American civilians," argued the LOLGOP account. "That's the only new thing here."
"If I were a would-be dictator whose only civilian check on power had been consumed by total-complete partisan loyalty, something I would definitely do is call an unprecedented in-person meeting of the only people who could stop me and then proceed to illustrate why they should stop me," wrote journalist Timothy Burke.
.
'Dead silence': Observers cringe as Hegseth's 'FAFO' applause line lands with a thud
Travis Gettys
September 30, 2025
RAW STORY
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, U.S., September 30, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Pool via REUTERS
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's euphemistic applause line landed with a thud before an audience of top military brass — and the awkward pause did not go unnoticed on social media.
The defense secretary ordered hundreds of U.S. military leaders from around the world for an unusual gathering in Quantico, Virginia, where the former Fox News host regaled them with a pep talk on the "warrior ethos" he believes is currently lacking. A particular portion of the speech stood out to observers.
"Should our enemies choose foolishly to challenge us, they will be crushed by the violence, precision, and ferocity of the War Department," Hegseth said. "To our enemies, FAFO."
Hegseth spelled out the abbreviation, which is a genteelism for the phrase, "f--k around and find out," then paused for a moment surveying the room.
It remained silent – save for one audible "woohoo" – in keeping with Pentagon rules regarding speeches by military commanders.
"If necessary, our troops can translate that for you," the secretary added.
Social media users reacted to the content of Hegseth's speech and the reaction in the room.
“'To our enemies: FAFO,'" said the widely followed Tennessee Holler account. "Holds for applause that doesn’t come. Cringey awkward moment as Hegseth summons all generals to hear him do a one-man show about how strong we are."
"Him spelling out FAFO instead of saying f--k around and find out is parody," agreed Bluesky user Earl Verdant. "That he followed it with a pause and a grin like he was expecting applause is beyond parody."
"So he def keeps dropping lines he expects applause for and in the clips I watched there's dead silence every time. Has he gotten a zilch reaction the whole speech?" noted tech consultant Aram Zucker-Scharff. "A single person gives a lackluster cheer for FAFO."
"Enjoying myself imagining the thousand yard stares that all the four star generals must be greeting this with," posted The Atlantic's Helen Lewis.
"Major ROFL says FAFO. China responds YOLO. Rest of the world FUBAR," replied Bluesky user lucidbeaming.
"This is, no exaggeration, some of the most loser s--t i have ever seen in my life," said New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie.
"These clips from the secretary’s speech have the same energy as a 9 year old boy who decided to start a secret club and is explaining to his friends why they should all call themselves 'the vipers' from now on," quipped Vox's Elias Isquith.
'I traveled 8K miles to hear this?' Retired general rips into Hegseth's 'canned' speech
Matthew Chapman
September 30, 2025
RAW STORY
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, U.S., September 30, 2025.
Andrew Harnik/Pool via REUTERS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Retired Brig. Gen. Steve Anderson had nothing but scathing words on CNN Tuesday morning for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's all-hands speech to generals and admirals who had been called off their assignments from around the world to hear him speak — an event other experts have warned is an unnecessary security risk
"Have you heard anything that constitutes a change, or an announcement or a reason to be addressing the group in the room today?" asked anchor John Berman.
"I think that there's probably a lot of general officers sitting there right now muttering to themselves, I traveled 8,000 miles to hear this?" said Anderson. "I mean, this is essentially a canned speech that really could have been delivered by anybody in almost any time. But I think that there are some clues that he's leaving about refocusing on homeland security and taking away perhaps some of our forward presence in the strength of our alliances overseas. And that really concerns me."
"I mean, that has kept this world safe for 80 years," he continued. "I mean, the NATO alliance and the alliances that we have in Japan and Korea have kept this world relatively safe for a long time, and for us to come off on that would be a terrible, terrible mistake. And I think that there were probably a couple of clues that he left there to that regard.
"The other thing that he talked about was changing the culture and, you know, talking about accountability and responsibility. I mean, there's nothing like being lectured to by a reserve major about things like that. I mean, these guys can write books about their service and their sacrifice and the bravery that they have shown."
Ultimately, Anderson said, "If you talk about accountability, responsibility, he needs to start with himself. He should have resigned after the Signalgate disaster. We shared our classified secrets on an insecure line. Every single person in that room knows that they would have been fired had they done the same thing. So, I mean, this is really a sad moment in our history."
"I thin that the speech in what's going on right now is probably going to turn into a political rally for President Trump, but it's really all about trying to get the military to kowtow to them and their will," Anderson concluded. "And unfortunately, I think we're going to see a lot of that for the next hour or so."
Retired Brig. Gen. Steve Anderson had nothing but scathing words on CNN Tuesday morning for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's all-hands speech to generals and admirals who had been called off their assignments from around the world to hear him speak — an event other experts have warned is an unnecessary security risk
"Have you heard anything that constitutes a change, or an announcement or a reason to be addressing the group in the room today?" asked anchor John Berman.
"I think that there's probably a lot of general officers sitting there right now muttering to themselves, I traveled 8,000 miles to hear this?" said Anderson. "I mean, this is essentially a canned speech that really could have been delivered by anybody in almost any time. But I think that there are some clues that he's leaving about refocusing on homeland security and taking away perhaps some of our forward presence in the strength of our alliances overseas. And that really concerns me."
"I mean, that has kept this world safe for 80 years," he continued. "I mean, the NATO alliance and the alliances that we have in Japan and Korea have kept this world relatively safe for a long time, and for us to come off on that would be a terrible, terrible mistake. And I think that there were probably a couple of clues that he left there to that regard.
"The other thing that he talked about was changing the culture and, you know, talking about accountability and responsibility. I mean, there's nothing like being lectured to by a reserve major about things like that. I mean, these guys can write books about their service and their sacrifice and the bravery that they have shown."
Ultimately, Anderson said, "If you talk about accountability, responsibility, he needs to start with himself. He should have resigned after the Signalgate disaster. We shared our classified secrets on an insecure line. Every single person in that room knows that they would have been fired had they done the same thing. So, I mean, this is really a sad moment in our history."
"I thin that the speech in what's going on right now is probably going to turn into a political rally for President Trump, but it's really all about trying to get the military to kowtow to them and their will," Anderson concluded. "And unfortunately, I think we're going to see a lot of that for the next hour or so."
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