Quantico, Virginia, October 1(HS): In a striking address to hundreds of senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, US President Donald Trump proposed turning American cities into “training grounds” for the military, calling urban unrest the “enemy from within.” He pledged expanded deployment of forces in Democratic-led cities such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco, saying they were “unsafe” and needed to be “straightened out one by one.”

The gathering, marked by heightened security and the presence of generals and admirals from across the globe, also featured Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who announced sweeping cultural and physical reforms. Hegseth vowed to abolish “woke” practices in the Pentagon, enforce “highest male standard” fitness benchmarks for combat roles, eliminate beard exemptions, end anonymous complaints, and reassert what he called a strict “warrior ethos.”

Acknowledging that some women may be excluded under the new rules, he insisted standards must remain “uniform, gender-neutral, and high.”

Trump applauded these measures and praised the controversial rebranding of the Pentagon as the “Department of War,” framing it as a “historic re-assertion” of America’s identity and pride. He railed against “climate change distractions” and “risk-averse” officers, stressing that the reforms were about protecting the nation rather than “protecting feelings.”

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker condemned Trump’s rhetoric, accusing him of using federal troops and ICE agents to “invade and disrupt” American cities, branding him a “petty tyrant.”

Military analysts also questioned the necessity of summoning so many top commanders in person, a move NATO’s top military official described as unprecedented in modern times.

While Trump hailed the summit as a step to revive the “warrior spirit” and touted achievements of his presidency, observers noted the subdued reception from the silent, note-taking officers in attendance.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar