Trump Declares "War From Within" and Calls for Military Intervention in American Cities

President Trump addresses senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico on Tuesday in a rare gathering of top officers.

During an extraordinary meeting with hundreds of generals and admirals, President Donald Trump declared that the United States faces a "war from within" and proposed using American cities as "training grounds" for military forces.

Speaking before top military brass summoned from around the world, Trump suggested an expanded role for the armed forces in addressing issues in Democrat-governed cities.

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered his own message focused on internal military reform, promising to eliminate what he termed "fat generals" and reverse what he described as years of institutional decline.

"I told Pete, we should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military," Trump stated in front of a massive American flag at the Quantico facility near Washington.

He continued by saying, "we're going to straighten them out one by one, and this is going to be a major part for some of the people in this room. That's a war too -- it's a war from within."

The president has already deployed troops to Los Angeles and Washington as part of what he characterizes as efforts against crime and immigration. He has also ordered military deployments to Memphis and Portland, which he described as a "war zone," and indicated Chicago would be next on the list.

All these cities are currently under Democratic leadership, from Trump's opposing political party.

The 79-year-old president, who made the journey to deliver his speech even as the federal government approached a spending shutdown, began by claiming that under his administration the military was "reawakening the warrior spirit."

His 72-minute address then shifted to an increasingly political tone, breaking with the tradition of previous presidents who typically avoided domestic politics when speaking to military audiences.

Hegseth, a former Fox News host turned Defense Secretary, called this unprecedented gathering last week. Trump subsequently announced he would also address the assembly.

Speculation had circulated about the purpose of assembling the entire military leadership in one location, with rumors of a significant military announcement.

However, the meeting primarily focused on reinforcing what Iraq war veteran Hegseth described as the "military ethos."

Pacing the stage, Hegseth informed all ranks they must now complete physical fitness testing twice annually. "It's completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon," he declared.

Hegseth also emphasized "grooming standards" including short hair and clean shaving, adding: "If you want a beard you can join special forces. If not, then shave. We don't have a military full of Nordic pagans."

He announced an end to what he termed "ideological garbage," citing concerns over climate change, bullying, "toxic" leadership, and promotions based on race or gender as examples.

The addresses by Trump and Hegseth occurred as the U.S. military faces controversies both domestically, amid deployments to major cities, and internationally.

On the global stage, Trump has authorized lethal strikes against small vessels alleged to be carrying drugs in the Caribbean, despite questions regarding the legality of such actions.

He has also ordered military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities and Tehran-supported Yemeni rebels.

In his sometimes meandering remarks, the president stated he was "discovering American muscle" and that the nation possessed the "strongest military anywhere in the world."

Trump has overseen an uncommon restructuring of senior military leadership since taking office.

In May, Hegseth mandated significant reductions in the number of general and flag officers in the U.S. military, including at least a 20 percent cut in active-duty four-star generals and admirals.

Since beginning his second term in January, Trump has also removed numerous top officers, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles "CQ" Brown, whom he dismissed without explanation in February.

Other senior military leaders removed this year include the heads of the Navy and Coast Guard, the leaders of the National Security Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency, the vice chief of staff of the Air Force, a Navy admiral assigned to NATO, and three top military lawyers.

Hegseth defended these dismissals on Tuesday, stating: "it's nearly impossible to change a culture with the same people who helped create -- or even benefited from -- that culture."