What Next | Daily News and Analysis The Department of War…From Within
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Oct 1, 2025 Idrees Ali, a national security correspondent for Reuters, shares his insights on a peculiar gathering of military leaders at Quantico. He critiques Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's emphasis on grooming and his controversial remarks on diversity. Ali discusses Trump's suggestion to deploy troops in American cities, the risks of eroding public trust in the military, and the Pentagon's shift in focus towards the Western Hemisphere. The conversation also touches on press access challenges and the climate of uncertainty within military leadership.
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Cities Framed As Domestic Battlefields
- Trump framed U.S. cities as a domestic battlefield and proposed using the military to 'straighten them out.'
- This signals a potential internal focus shift for the military rather than external threats.
Training Grounds Comment Raises Stakes
- Trump's suggestion to use cities as training grounds raised legal and cultural alarms about domestic military use.
- Idrees Ali explained the idea would alter the military's prioritization and public perception.
Internal Priorities Could Eclipse External Defense
- Idrees Ali noted the speech suggested internal priorities could eclipse external defense.
- That reorientation could recalibrate strategy, resources, and public trust in the armed forces.