WASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed an extraordinary gathering of hundreds of senior officers summoned from around the world near Washington on Tuesday, stating that the American military must urgently fix “decades of decay” within its ranks.
The wide-ranging 45-minute speech comes at a time of escalating controversy for the military, marked by President Donald Trump’s deployment of troops in Democratic-run U.S. cities and his order for lethal strikes against small, alleged drug boats in the Caribbean. The President has also commanded strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and Tehran-backed Yemeni rebels since taking office.
The End of the ‘Woke Department’
Standing before a massive American flag, Hegseth framed his address as a declaration of ideological change. “This speech is about fixing decades of decay, some of it obvious, some of it hidden,” Hegseth said. “Foolish and reckless political leaders set the wrong compass heading, and we lost our way. We became the ‘Woke Department’. But not anymore.”
The Secretary declared an end to what he termed “ideological garbage,” citing concerns over climate change, bullying, “toxic” leaders, and promotions based on race or gender as examples of the rot he intended to eliminate.
He also directly challenged the Pentagon’s inspector general—the office currently investigating his conduct—by saying it “has been weaponised, putting complainers, ideologues and poor performers in the driver’s seat.” President Trump was scheduled to address the top brass later that morning.
Mass Purge and Rationale for Cultural Change
Speculation over the true reason for gathering all the military’s top command was high, with Vice President JD Vance dismissing the media attention as excessive. However, the meeting follows significant personnel restructuring under the Trump administration.
- Officer Cuts: In May, Hegseth ordered major cuts to the number of general and flag officers, including at least a 20 percent reduction in the number of active-duty four-star generals and admirals. This followed a February announcement to reduce civilian employees by at least five percent.
- Senior Firings: Since beginning his second term in January, President Trump has conducted an unprecedented purge of top officers, including the firing of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles “CQ” Brown without explanation in February. Other recent dismissals include the heads of the Navy and Coast Guard, and leaders of the National Security and Defense Intelligence Agencies.
Hegseth staunchly defended the firings on Tuesday, arguing: “It’s nearly impossible to change a culture with the same people who helped create—or even benefited from—that culture.”
Escalation of Military Operations
These internal shakeups coincide with an aggressive posture abroad. Earlier this year, U.S. forces conducted a nearly two-month-long campaign of strikes targeting Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels and also hit three nuclear sites deemed key to Tehran’s nuclear programme. Domestically, U.S. troops have been deployed in Los Angeles and Washington—allegedly to combat civil unrest—with similar plans announced for Portland, Memphis, and potentially other cities.
