United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has moved to reduce the number of Generals and Admirals stoking fears of a political purge. Another concern is the loss of knowledge and experience these officers bring to the table (The Hill).
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a 20 percent reduction of four-star officers — the military’s senior ranks — continuing the wide swath of job reductions and firings that have marked his three months at the helm of the Pentagon. In a memo on Monday, Mr. Hegseth also ordered a 10 percent reduction of overall general-level officers in the military, and a 20 percent cut of four-star positions in the National Guard NY Times
If Hegseth’s purge is similar to the Elon Musk DOGE cuts, it will make the professional officer corps easier to control and eliminate any left wing officers based on accusations of being “woke” and not racist. Hegseth has made plain his antipathy for officers who have championed so-called woke policies such as diversity, equity and inclusion efforts (USA Today).
He (Hegseth) was barred from serving on duty at the inauguration of Joe Biden after a guardsman flagged Hegseth as an “insider threat”, noting a tattoo on his biceps of the words Deus vult. He left the Individual Ready Reserve in January 2024, stating in his book The War on Warriors (2024) that he resigned over the incident. Wikipedia
“Deus Vult” means “God’s Will.” A similar slogan “Deus le Veult” was used during the First Crusade and has been used by Christians since. However,
In the 21st century, Christian nationalist movements, as well as Christian right and far-right groups, have adopted the motto as a catchphrase. Medievalist scholars have criticized this use as harmful and historically inaccurate. Wikipedia
Sounds like we’re gearing up for an interesting time before the next midterm elections.
- Facing serious new allegations, Pete Hegseth advances purge of Pentagon leaders MSNBC
- Hegseth Grilled About Women in Combat, Officer Purge in Confirmation Hearing Military Times
- Christians Against Christian Nationalism