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, you know, this will be a very respectful audience tomorrow," McCaffrey said. "Our culture, our political culture in the country says there's two civilians, only the president and the secretary of defense, who give orders to the armed forces.
"I think Secretary Hegseth had no idea what he was doing calling a no-notice meeting without specifying what the topic would be. I think he did want to harangue the senior enlisted and military leaders of the country about warrior culture."
"It's a hard one to pull off," he added. "These people, as you say, grew up in 20 years of combat, from lieutenant or E-1 to the end of their career they're now serving, and then I think President Trump had no idea what was going on, learned of it, horns in. This ought to be a very unusual, almost comical session. Why did he draw attention to this, as if we were going to go to war over what, 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't understand a military audience doesn't applaud or take enthusiastic recognition of a speech by a senior officer," McCaffrey said. "I have a feeling they're going to pass a word it had better look like that on TV on this one. Look, this is all such an unusual situation. The day the American people make a final determination on an elected president, the military completely, 100 percent switches over to being respectful and supportive under the law with this new administration."
"By the way, they all come in nervous about these generals with all their ribbons, and are they going to pay any attention to us?" McCaffrey added. "Normally, in about three to six months, they realize, no, these people actually know what they're doing and they are going to be compliant with our policy directives. This administration has been chaotic. Now, Secretary Hegseth actually has a combat infantry badge, served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Princeton grad, there's every indication that he could have been very successful, but so far it looks shallow, sort of chaotic. It's a drama going on constantly."
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