US President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth convened an unprecedented gathering of nearly 800 senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. Called at short notice, the meeting covered domestic unrest, military standards, global conflicts, and Pentagon reforms. Trump warns of “enemy within”, says US cities like 'training ground' Trump told military leaders the US faces an internal threat, describing crime and unrest in Democratic-led cities as akin to a foreign invasion: “We’re under invasion from within, no different than a foreign enemy, but more difficult in many ways, because they don’t wear uniforms.” President Donald Trump is greeted by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth before speaking to a gathering of top U.S. military commanders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, in Quantico, Va. (AP Photo) He suggested using cities like Chicago, Portland, and New York as “training grounds” for the military and National Guard, claiming they are unsafe and require intervention: “We’re going into Chicago very soon… we’re going to straighten them out one by one.” Hegseth targets “woke” culture and sets new military standards Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlined wide-ranging changes aimed at restoring what he called the “warrior ethos” of the US military: Fitness and Combat Standards: All service members must meet the “highest male standard” for physical fitness; women who do not qualify for combat may be excluded. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Tuesday, September 30, 2025 in Quantico, Va. (AP) Leadership and Culture: End to politically correct leadership, diversity, equity, and inclusion programmes; revised definitions of bullying, hazing, and “toxic leadership.” Appearance and Discipline: Bans on beards and long hair; mandatory twice-yearly fitness tests, including for generals and admirals. “The era of politically correct, overly sensitive don’t-hurt-anyone’s-feelings leadership ends right now at every level.” Hegseth also emphasised readiness, personal accountability, and warned foreign adversaries not to test the US, using military slang FAFO (“Fool Around and Find Out”). Trump on Ukraine, Gaza, and Global Defence Trump addressed international issues alongside domestic priorities: Ukraine-Russia: Trump uged talks between President Zelenskyy and President Putin, suggesting the US could mediate. President Donald Trump is greeted by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth before speaking to a gathering of top US military commanders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, in Quantico, Va. (AP Photo) Gaza: He warned Hamas to accept a US-proposed plan withing 3-4 days or face consequences. Military expansion and reforms: The US president announced plans to expand the armed forces and accelerate military acquisitions and foreign arms sales. “We have tremendous numbers of countries that want to buy our equipment… we’re getting countries to buy your equipment faster.” Nearly 800 generals, admirals, and senior enlisted leaders from around the world were present. Security at Quantico was tight; attendees mostly took notes silently. Experts noted the rarity of convening global military leaders at short notice without publicly stating a reason. (With inputs from agencies)
