US President Donald Trump is set to speak at a hastily called meeting of top military leaders on Tuesday, according to a White House official. Hundreds of generals, admirals, senior commanders of the one-star rank or higher, and their top advisers have been summoned from around the world to the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia. The meeting was arranged on short notice by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The White House official, who was not authorized to discuss the president’s plans before a public announcement, spoke on the condition of anonymity. In an interview with NBC News on Sunday, Mr. Trump said the discussion would focus on the military’s current status, emphasizing that “we’re in great shape,” and that they would be “talking about a lot of good, positive things.”
News of the meeting first broke on Thursday. When asked by reporters during an Oval Office appearance, Mr. Trump initially seemed unaware of the event, saying, “I’ll be there if they want me, but why is it such a big deal?” The official later added that the president’s participation was not part of the original plan but that Mr. Trump decided he wanted to attend.
Mr. Trump’s involvement raises concerns about the potential politicization of what is typically a nonpartisan gathering of military leaders. For instance, during a visit to Fort Bragg in North Carolina in June, he delivered campaign-style remarks to uniformed personnel, attacking his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden.
The Republican president has also been increasing the military’s presence in American cities, arguing it is necessary to combat crime where Democratic leaders are perceived to be failing. Currently, the National Guard remains on patrol in the District of Columbia, with a smaller deployment planned for Memphis, Tennessee. On Saturday, Mr. Trump announced plans to send troops to Portland, Oregon, to protect against domestic terrorists.
These military deployments have not been without controversy. Over objections from local and state officials, Mr. Trump previously sent the National Guard and active-duty Marines to Los Angeles amid protests against immigration raids.
The Pentagon’s top spokesman has confirmed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will address his senior military leaders early next week. The military comprises around 800 generals and admirals across all ranks, many of whom command thousands of service members stationed worldwide in more than a dozen countries and time zones.
The Washington Post was the first to report on Mr. Trump’s plans to attend the upcoming meeting.
https://www.breakingnews.ie/world/trump-to-speak-at-hastily-called-meeting-of-top-military-leaders-says-official-1812282.html
