I want to tell the generals that we love them, they’re cherished leaders,” US president declares.
- US military brass to meet at Marine Corps University.
- “I want to tell the generals that we love them,” declares Trump.
- Not clear why the meeting could not be held virtually.
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump told a crowd of American generals and admirals in Quantico, Virginia, on Sunday that he would inform them they were beloved leaders who must be tough and strong.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called top US military officials around the globe to meet in Quantico on Tuesday — an unusual convergence of the nation’s military leadership under one roof.
“I want to tell the generals that we love them, they’re beloved leaders, to be tough, be strong and be smart and be kind and be compassionate,” Trump said in an interview with Reuters.
“That’s all that is, esprit de corps. It’s about time somebody did that,” he added.
Trump’s presence may eclipse Hegseth, who was to address the importance of sticking to a “warrior ethos” across the military and potentially address other topics.
The US has military personnel stationed around the globe, including in far-flung places such as South Korea, Japan and throughout the Middle East, which are led by two-, three- and four-star generals and admirals.
In nearly every public address he makes, Hegseth mentions the “warrior ethos” and the requirement that the US military must possess a warrior culture.
President Trump to laud US generals from across globe at unprecedented Quantico meeting
Earlier this month, an executive order was signed by Trump to rebrand the Department of Defence as the “Department of War,” a name it had until after World War Two when officials tried to highlight the Pentagon’s role in avoiding war.
Hegseth, who once worked as a host on Fox News, has acted with breathtaking velocity to reorganize the department, dismissing senior admirals and generals as he works to advance Trump’s national security agenda and eliminate diversity programs he deems discriminatory.
Sources with the administration have informed Reuters that the ceremony is slated to occur at the Marine Corps University in Quantico, Virginia.
Some of the highest-ranking officials, who are given US military planes to use for official visits, are set to fly into Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
It is not known why the meeting could not be held virtually, and it will cost at least millions of dollars to move and secure the large number.
