# Hegseth calls all of the top military brass together for an in person meeting **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [September 26, 2025, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409 "2025-09-26T02:40:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/141 "2025-09-30T17:19:00Z")
Well yes. Hegseth is the very personification of that old chief from North Carolina who didn’t want blacks or women in “his” service. I had hoped we had outlived that stupidity. I really don’t like this timeline. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/142 "2025-09-30T17:49:46Z")
For those who want to read a little about what happened in the meeting: Gift link: [Trump and Hegseth Meeting with Military Leaders](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/us/politics/trump-hegseth-military-officers.html?unlocked_article_code=1.p08.gB_c.hFjG11dMu4yd&smid=url-share) From the article: > The rare and highly anticipated call-up drew the country’s military commanders, who flew in from Asia, Europe and points between on short notice. The president delivered a rambling address that included familiar talking points and critiques and Mr. Trump’s revelation that he had told Mr. Hegseth to use American cities where he has deployed troops as “training grounds” for the military. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/143 "2025-09-30T17:51:24Z")
So, summed up: “Your job now is to do sit-ups and kill Americans.” Fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/144 "2025-09-30T17:53:18Z")
Bleh, I haven’t had time lately to read much. So I’m going to post this _then_ read the thread. So. Is it just me, or does kegstand seem to have some insecurities regarding his manhood, ‘lethality’, and whatever? He sure seems pretty sensitive about how other men look and behave. What’s up with that? Women? People of color? They can’t posibly be ‘manly’ enough for kegstads ‘lethal’ warfighting depatment of war. Don’t even get me started about all the, “ beardos.” Why, he might look all icky girly and woke n’ stuff. What an incredibly special snow flake, thin skinned goober this guy is. No wonder dump likes him. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/145 "2025-09-30T18:41:28Z")
So basically the only thing that happened was that they wasted a lot of money and a lot of people’s time, and probably put those people and arguably the nation in danger, in order to show that they could make those people obey a legal (but very stupid) order to show up and listen to them say stupid things? ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/146 "2025-09-30T18:44:10Z")
I read the generals didn’t give Trump’s rambling speech any applause. I hope that’s true. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/147 "2025-09-30T18:44:13Z")
At least the meeting was at Quantico instead of a La Quinta. So easy to mix those up. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/148 "2025-09-30T18:48:36Z")
Heh, I have stayed in a hotel that was labelled as at Quantico so I just put “Quantico” into my GPS but it was actually in Stafford. Usually with towns as small as Quantico you’ll just see your hotel without having to specifically program its address unless it’s one of those Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim situations. Like last month a similar thing happened in Cortland NY where my phone took me to the city center, but thankfully then I was only a couple blocks out of the way instead of several miles. Because unlike in Quantico, the hotel was actually in Cortland. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/149 "2025-09-30T18:51:17Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > So basically the only thing that happened was that they wasted a lot of money and a lot of people’s time, and probably put those people and arguably the nation in danger, in order to show that they could make those people obey a legal (but very stupid) order to show up and listen to them say stupid things? It almost feels like it should be Hegseth who points out that this could have been an email. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/150 "2025-09-30T18:59:57Z")
No, pete couldn’t prance, lecture, and do his lethal peacock thing over email. They need to know our sensitive warfighter is _ **in charge.** _ ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/151 "2025-09-30T19:24:40Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > So basically the only thing that happened was that they wasted a lot of money and a lot of people’s time, and probably put those people and arguably the nation in danger, in order to show that they could make those people obey a legal (but very stupid) order to show up and listen to them say stupid things? Well put. I’d like the Dems to keep pounding on this ridiculous and pointless waste of $/resources. Sound about as pointless as any number of work meetings I’ve attended. “You sure you couldn’t just send me a memo?” ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/152 "2025-09-30T20:10:49Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > I read the generals didn’t give Trump’s rambling speech any applause. I hope that’s true. Oh, it’s worse than that. Much worse: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Yr_--zxcvyY/maxresdefault.jpg "Lowlights from Trump’s deranged speech to military") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr_--zxcvyY) Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/153 "2025-09-30T20:14:58Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Oh, it’s worse than that. Much worse: Trump sounds even more deranged when he doesn’t have a favorable crowd. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/154 "2025-09-30T20:21:36Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > I read the generals didn’t give Trump’s rambling speech any applause. I hope that’s true. From @Aspenglow’s NYTimes link in post #141: > Mr. Trump’s comments were greeted by expressionless faces — the Pentagon’s senior military leaders had warned the officers not to react or cheer, per the norms of what is supposed to be a nonpartisan military. The result: the audience was quieter and much more still than Mr. Trump usually encounters in his stump speeches. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/155 "2025-09-30T20:22:32Z")
Generals, of course, have to meet the same fitness standards as everyone else already. People seem to have ways of passing PT tests when they might not look like they’re able to, especially as they get older and/or have more clout (usually medical profiles, but sometimes it’s just the good-ol’-boy system). That said, IME there aren’t a lot of “fat generals.” Most generals understand leadership extremely well, and they understand what needs to be done to get and keep that rank. I’ve always been impressed by the GO ranks, by and large. What Hegseth’s done, though, is 1) increase the fitness standards across the board, and 2) make them gender neutral. The military has a recruitment and retention problem, and for non-combat roles, increasing the fitness standards can and will impact mission readiness for these important units. Removing female standards for non-combat roles is just blatant misogyny. Removing shaving waivers is just blatant racism. The idea that a modern militaries need a bunch of buff, white men to be effective is childish nonsense. Logistics, military intelligence, effective command and control, and technology win wars. Overweight troops are an image problem, and that’s about where the problem stops. Hegseth and his ilk are incapable of looking beyond image. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/156 "2025-09-30T20:32:10Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > childish nonsense To be fair, most of what’s happened under Trump has been childish nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/157 "2025-09-30T20:51:52Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > Trump sounds even more deranged when he doesn’t have a favorable crowd. “This routine killed in Philly!” Maybe he’ll just go back to ‘dancing’ to “Y.M.C.A” by The Village People. That always gets the crowd moving. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/158 "2025-09-30T21:08:12Z")
Did anyone tell the war drunk and the fat geriatric warlord that if your warfighters don’t mind the rules of war you get war crimes? And they definitely don’t give Nobel prizes for those. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/159 "2025-09-30T21:14:39Z")
…towards the bathroom. ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/160 "2025-09-30T21:15:29Z")
The big thing for me is Trump made them all be there. Away from their troops. It was easy. Could Trump have demoted them all on the spot? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409.md?page=9)