Hegseth Is Purging Military Leaders With Little Explanation | The moves to fire or sideline generals and admirals are without precedent in recent decades and have rattled the top brass.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/us/politics/hegseth-firing-military-leaders.html?unlocked_article_code=1.zU8.IyiC.q0SpxO2v-zTw

282 points · 27 comments · view on lemmy.world

27 Comments

MisterOwl@lemmy.world · 94 pts · 276d (4 replies)

Then maybe top brass needs to do something about what the creature in the white house is planning.

"Let's use our cities as military training grounds" was a pretty big fucking hint, wouldn't you say?

abbiistabbii@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 47 pts · 276d (1 reply)

I think that's why Hegseth is firing these people, because those people might say no.

NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip · 15 pts · 276d

They haven't yet and there is no indication they will ever do anything but "I serve the flag, not the man behind the desk" and "I was just following orders".

Nah, these folk were probably caught not being appropriately horny during the rally a few months back.

nondescripthandle@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 9 pts · 276d (1 reply)

The whole system is designed to keep working no matter what they think. Their recourse for this move is simply to quit, allowing their posts to be filled by people who won't oppose these kinds of moves. It's how the military has always worked, and I doubt the generals are going to start changing now. For them fascism promises(even if it cant deliver it) safety by going with the status quo. They're not going to start attacking American institutions, they're just going to quit.

MisterOwl@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 276d

In other words, they're a bunch of oath-breaking fucking cowards.

Sunflier@lemmy.world · 45 pts · 276d (4 replies)

Well when J6 2.0 rolls around, they'll need loyalists that they've been grooming for 4 years in place.

IndridCold@lemmy.ca · 19 pts · 276d (2 replies)

That's the plus side for them. The down side is if the US gets into a proper military fight, they won't have anyone experienced to do logistics and operations.

Think back about how badly the US did in Iraq and Afghanistan but make it 80% worse.

In a way it makes this Canadian feel slightly better. If Hegseth decides to invade Canada there is a non-zero chance he sends troops to Cambodia.

Sunflier@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 276d (1 reply)

Maybe dead American soldiers coming home in body bags will finally break the cult? It's one thing to chant about how "Jews will not replace us" and throw seig heils in support of Trump when things are quiet for America on the global scale. It's another thing to do it when your kid comes home in a body bag.

Vandals_handle@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 276d

Come on mothers throughout the land

Pack your boys off to Vietnam Canada

Come on fathers, don't hesitate

Send your daughters off before it's too late

Be the first one on your block

To have your kids come home in a box

And it's one, two, three, what are we fighting for?

Don't ask me, I don't give a damn

The next stop is Vietnam Canada

And it's five, six, seven, open up the pearly gates

Yeah, there ain't no time to wonder why

Whoopee, we're all gonna die

paperazzi@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 276d

Wise words.

Damage@feddit.it · 41 pts · 276d (1 reply)

Another headline from the US that makes me go "hmmm, where have I seen this before..."

tinfoilhat@lemmy.ml · 8 pts · 276d

Probably a tactic that the US has employed to overthrow another country's democratically elected government.

lath@piefed.social · 36 pts · 276d

I would think it pretty obvious why: to replace them with yes-men figureheads who will do the dumbest shit possible at a whim.

Bwaz@lemmy.world · 23 pts · 276d

It does sound like what you'd expect from someone trying to destroy the US military's effectiveness.

YurkshireLad@lemmy.ca · 19 pts · 276d

No explanation needed as he’s putting in sycophants who will happily protect the GOP from having, or losing an election.

f1error@lemmy.world · 18 pts · 276d

This is how you ensure a military caste ousts you from office. sigh I'm afraid for the future. 😐

bagsy@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 276d (6 replies)

After 30 or 40 years in the military, all the generals care about is that sweet, sweet pension. They arent going to do any brave that might jeopardize that. They'll let america be over run with facists as long as they can retire with benefits.

Tuesday is Veterans day. They want all the honor, but none of the sacrafice.

chipacabras@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 276d (5 replies)

What would you have them do? Launch a coup? It’s a challenging position for them to be in

MisterOwl@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 276d (2 replies)

What would you have them do? Launch a coup?

When you have a commander-in-chief who is openly stating his intent to use our military to commit violence on american citizens?

Absolutely fucking yes.

chipacabras@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 276d (1 reply)

I guess my thought is that should wait until actually ordered to do commit violence. Coups are very, very damaging to democracies and often beget more coups. It should only really be a last resort if civil mechanisms completely fail.

I do understand the wish that someone could just easily removal him from power though. The man is unhinged.

FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca · 5 pts · 276d

There already is a coup happening, Trump and his minions are overthrowing American democracy

bagsy@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 276d (1 reply)

I dont know the right answer. I have no idea what i would do in that situation. These are uncertain times. Alot of americans will have to make tough decisions.

I guess we'll see if americans really are as brave as we think and that we love democracy as much as we claim.

Maeve@kbin.earth · 1 pts · 276d

We've been seeing.

santa@sh.itjust.works · 5 pts · 276d (1 reply)

And the world is observing us become more vulnerable…

corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca · 4 pts · 276d

Krasnov is #winning

phutatorius@lemmy.zip · 4 pts · 275d

They could always grow a spine and defend the Constitution.

bcgm3@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 276d

Replacing seasoned military leadership with yes-men sounds short-sighted, even for this bunch.