Some observers explain President Trump values loyalty to Trump over either fidelity to the Constitution, or competence.
Technically it would be inappropriate for any U.S. president to order his senior military commanders to disregard their oath to the Constitution,
and simply obey President Trump's commands.
Some reports indicate loyalty to Trump was the message to the senior U.S. military officers in attendance in September, 2025.
Hegseth’s ongoing Pentagon purge continues to destabilize the military
Feb. 18, 2026, 8:57 AM EST by Steve Benen
The sheer volume of U.S. military leaders who have left Hegseth’s Defense Department, through either firings or resignations, is extraordinary.
Toward the end of his unsettling speech to the nation’s generals and admirals in late September, when he made the case that, in essence, testosterone is the key to modern warfare, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered an unsubtle message to his audience.
“If the words I’m speaking today are making your heart sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign,” the beleaguered Pentagon chief said.
It was a pointed reminder that Hegseth is not exactly open to engaging with military officials whose views differ from his own. On the contrary, he’s proved himself eager to purge the armed forces of those he deems unworthy — a campaign that’s ongoing. MS NOW reported:
A senior U.S. military adviser has abruptly departed the Army after reportedly being forced out by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Col. Dave Butler, who served as communications adviser to Army chief of staff Gen. Randy George and Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, was fired on Hegseth’s orders, according to Fox News, The Washington Post and The New York Times.
The report added that it’s unclear why Hegseth took issue with Butler, who officially retired, though according to multiple accounts, he worked closely with Gen. Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff whom the defense secretary and the Trump
The sheer volume of U.S. military leaders who have left Hegseth’s Defense Department, through either firings or resignations, is extraordinary.
www.ms.now
The physical ouster of Maduro from Venezuela was an impressive demonstration of the skill U.S. military commanders in active U.S. military operation.
Military competence at that level raises questions about Iran, today, Sunday, March 15, 2026.
President Trump claims:
President Trump declared that the U.S. has beaten Iran “both militarily, economically, and in every other way” in a Truth Social post.
But if that's so, why has the transit of oil tankers been suspended at Iran's Strait of Hormuz ?
The U.S. military competence demonstrated in Venezuela raises questions about the incompetence demonstrated in the Hormuz Strait.
U.S. military commanders know presidents are appraised by the electorate on the U.S. economy.
Voters don't like gasoline prices to skyrocket as they have this month due to Trump's War on Iran.
Reading Between Today's Headlines March 15, 2026
Are U.S. military battlefield commanders deliberately engineering a problem if not a crisis in the U.S. economy:
- to cause an electoral backlash against President Trump, for the purpose of
- obtaining for senior U.S. military commanders some relief from Trump's despotic geo-economic churn?
Trump's popularity is already low, well below 50%.
Are our battlefield commanders attempting to restore sanity to U.S. civilian military leadership @#1600 Penn. Ave. ? With $5 / gallon diesel ?
related:
Republican president tells top military officers they will play part in ‘war from within’ in major US cities.
The US military’s top brass attends a meeting convened by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia on September 30, 2025 [Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]
https://www.aljazeera.com/author/ali_harb_200919153312036
By Ali Harb / Published On 30 Sep 202530 Sep 2025
Washington, DC – United States President Donald Trump has addressed hundreds of US generals in Virginia on topics ranging from climbing up stairs to the crisis in Ukraine – often repeating his talking points and bouncing between subjects.
Trump’s self-described “weave” – his tendency to knit multiple stories and subjects into one set of remarks – grew large on Tuesday as he spoke for more than one hour and 10 minutes.
He aired familiar grievances about his political opponents, lauded his own foreign policy and ...
Republican president tells top military officers they will play part in 'war from within' in major US cities.
www.aljazeera.com
