A new report said that a draft order creating a mechanism for reviewing America’s top military leaders is being considered by President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team.
The Wall Street Journal report claimed, the outlet has seen a draft of a document under consideration, which does not mean the document seen by the Journal will be approved as is or approved at all as one of the executive orders Trump has indicated will mark the opening days of his administration.
The order creates a board of retired military leaders that could find admirals or generals “lacking in requisite leadership qualities.”
The report equated the board’s creation with Trump’s past criticisms of “woke generals” and framed the order in dire terms, writing “an outside board whose members he appoints would bypass the Pentagon’s regular promotion system, signaling across the military that he intends to purge a number of generals and admirals.”
However, the report also noted that the draft order comes from an outside policy group and is being considered — as are many other proposals.
In its reporting, the Journal said commanders will be reviewed “on leadership capability, strategic readiness, and commitment to military excellence.”
Dubbing the panel a “warrior board,” the Journal said that it would report to Trump and that those who are removed would be retired at their existing rank within 30 days of being identified as deficient in leadership.
Karoline Leavitt did not comment on the draft, but spoke to the Journal in general terms.
“The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail. He will deliver,” she said.
The draft order comes in the context of plans by the new administration to streamline the Defense Department, including the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
“It’s gotten way too big. Trump also expects that many of the generals, the three- and four-star generals that have been underperforming will basically be retired,” the Journal quoted a source it did not name as saying.
During Trump’s campaign, he has said that “woke” generals would be a target in his administration.
“I would fire them. You can’t have [a] woke military,” Trump said in June, according to the U.K.’s Daily Mail.
The Journal report noted that Trump also said generals involved in the disastrous 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan could be targeted.
Trump has said he would seek resignations from those senior officers by “noon on Inauguration Day,” according to the Journal.
As noted by Reuters, Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick to be defense secretary, has said sweeping changes need to take place at the Pentagon.
“The next president of the United States needs to radically overhaul Pentagon senior leadership to make us ready to defend our nation and defeat our enemies. Lots of people need to be fired,” Hegseth wrote in his book, “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free.”
This is great news!! China is our primary enemy and the South China Sea is the battlefield where we need to prepare to meet them. We need more ships, more munitions, a serious fighting force and no woke generals or admirals.
Hegseth is a brilliant pick. He isn’t some general/admiral that’s sat around pontificating about LGBTQXYZ Bullshit. Give him the tools and latitude to reshape this military and prepare for 2027 and China. They want Taiwan and we have limited time to get ready for the battle to come.
Glad to hear this! Our military has always been strong and Biden has pussified it! The thought of Marines charging into battle wearing dresses does not instill fear in our enemies!
This is definitely needed there are generals and admirals that need to go start with Milley he started the failed military coup and as far as I am concerned he committed treason and get rid of the high heels and dresses for male officers and anyone caught doing that should be kicked out of the military immediately!!
This has been need for many years. Several of the higher ranking officers are nothing but political puppets. Deserving warriors have been passed over for butt kissing lackies. Bring back the days of Warrior Generals not woke cowards owned by the democrat party!
Gen Milley needs to have his pension suspended as well as being tried for insubordination and treason. As you may recall he called the President of China Xi Jing Ping and told him that he would warn him if Trump was planning on attacking China.