A retired U.S. Army general questioned the motivation for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordering military commanders from their posts around the globe to a lecture in Virginia.
The Pentagon chief is calling hundreds of senior military leaders to a Marine Corps base in Quantico for a pep talk about the warrior ethos, along with President Donald Trump. And retired general Barry McCaffrey told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" the plan was ill-conceived at best.
"Look, youknow, this will be a veryrespectful audience tomorrow," McCaffrey said. "Our culture, our politicalculture in the country saysthere's two civilians, only thepresident and the secretary ofdefense, who give orders to thearmed forces.
"I think Secretary Hegseth had no idea what he wasdoing calling a no-noticemeeting without specifying whatthe topic would be. I think hedid want to harangue the seniorenlisted and military leadersof the country about warriorculture."
"It's a hard one to pull off," he added. "Thesepeople, as you say, grew up in20 years of combat, fromlieutenant or E-1 to the end oftheir career they're nowserving, and then I think President Trump had no ideawhat was going on, learned ofit, horns in. This ought to be avery unusual, almost comicalsession. Why did he drawattention to this, as if wewere going to go to war overwhat, Greenland or something?So it's a real mess."
Hegseth should not expect a rousing reception from the military brass, McCaffrey said.
"A lot of civilians don'tunderstand a military audiencedoesn't applaud or takeenthusiastic recognition of aspeech by a senior officer," McCaffrey said. "Ihave a feeling they're going topass a word it had better looklike that on TV on this one.Look, this is all such anunusual situation. The day the American people make a finaldetermination on an electedpresident, the militarycompletely, 100 percent switches overto being respectful andsupportive under the law withthis new administration."
"By theway, they all come in nervousabout these generals with alltheir ribbons, and are theygoing to pay any attention tous?" McCaffrey added. "Normally, in about three to sixmonths, they realize, no, thesepeople actually know whatthey're doing and they aregoing to be compliant with ourpolicy directives. Thisadministration has been chaotic.Now, Secretary Hegseth actuallyhas a combat infantry badge,served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Princeton grad, there'severy indication that he couldhave been very successful, butso far it looks shallow, sortof chaotic. It's a drama goingon constantly."