“They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest.” — President Franklin Roosevelt.
George Washington’s farewell to his officers. Dwight Eisenhower’s message to his troops the eve of D-Day. The words and actions of great leaders reflect the relationship as it should be: leadership, bravery, compassion, patriotism and upholding the Constitution.
Now we have President Donald Trump at Marine Corps Base Quantico. In an unprecedented gathering of 800 generals and admirals, their commander-in-chief did not offer inspirational leadership. Rather, he prattled on about how more gold and “heavy” paper should be used for their presidential proclamations and the importance of walking down stairs carefully. He mused about why the audience didn’t welcome him with applause. After talking for more than an hour Trump shockingly suggested that the military utilize American cities as “training grounds” — turning troops on American citizens.
Trump’s presence overtook Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s inexplicable order for the flag officers to gather together after his eight months on the job. The gathering, which, at first, seemed to be a closed meeting of flag officers and their secretary, became another Trumpian spectacle.
The Department of Defense has all the secure communications required to bring together this august group virtually. Did every U.S. flag officer from across the globe really have to gather in an auditorium to, once again, hear Hegseth’s violent vocabulary and a laundry list of dos and don’ts?
The War Department. Warfighting. Lethality. Ruthless. Dispassionate. No tubby flag officers; no DEI; stricter physical fitness standards. And lest we forget three unforgettable orders: “no more dudes in dresses,” “no more beardos” and his shocking final words, “move out and draw fire.”
In fact, the only thing Hegseth said that Americans might agree with was, “Our warfighters are entitled to be led by the best and most capable leaders.”
To that, Washington, Eisenhower and Roosevelt would agree.
Generals and admirals serving around the globe are busy protecting America’s interests — providing strategy, security and assistance in the name of the United States. They’re caring for their troops and military families. Ironically, the Quantico séance was held on the eve of the government shutdown which left members of the U.S. military without a paycheck. What a surprising time for the president to eschew working with Congress to reach a budget agreement.
Flag officers don’t need to travel across the globe on short notice for a lecture and lovefest. They need modern, functioning equipment; adequate numbers of spare parts; consistent funding; state-of-the-art training; and adequate numbers of troops. Moreover, they need high morale and the confidence that military families are fully cared for and receive a steady paycheck — particularly when one member is deployed.
The cost of the Quantico meeting is measured in terms of dollars and disruption. The value of it is measured in the applause level — zero. Planning and logistics, and security concerns were undoubtedly staggering. A security breach and resulting disaster could have been catastrophic — costing the military services years to rebuild.
Many people have asked what my late father, Gen. P.X. Kelley, the 28th commandant of the Marine Corps, would think about the Quantico gathering.
I know exactly what he’d say, “Not going — I’m too busy ensuring my warfighters have all the resources they need, and that their families are cared for.”
He would conclude by saying, “If the president wants to talk to me, I’d be happy to meet him in the Oval … but I better wear my sunglasses to cut down the glare!”
I pray for our great nation.
Chris Kelley Cimko of Duck, N.C., is president of Cimko Strategies, LLC. She served as communications director of the Senate Armed Services Committee; spokesperson for the Pentagon and then-Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney; was appointed by Gov. Mark Warner to the Virginia Commission on Military Bases; and led defense and international practices in several global communications firms.
