The military has been recast in a partisan, performative mold – all according to the president’s logic of impunity
A pattern is becoming clear: Donald Trump is purging the higher ranks based on his prejudices and demands for loyalty; the military is being turned into a partisan instrument and a political prop; more dangerous still, the president is instilling the logic of impunity that has come to characterize his entire approach to governance.
With every illegal order, such as attacking boats in the Caribbean, he manages to have those who carry them out compromise themselves morally and potentially render themselves liable for criminal prosecution, thereby generating an incentive for members of the military to make sure Trumpists stay in power. At the same time, prominent pardons – most recently of those trying to steal the 2020 election – establish the promise of impunity.
As plenty of observers have pointed out, under Trump, law will protect the MAGA faithful but will not bind them; those declared the president’s enemies will be bound by the law, but not be protected by it. It is not an accident that Pete Hegseth’s first 15 minutes of fame consisted of passionate pleas on Fox to let those accused of war crimes go unpunished.
Fascism 101
Military has always been a political prop.
I thought it was pretty obvious that he treated the military like a prop when he had that silly parade in DC
In his first failed term, didn’t he keep talking about “his” generals, too?
I thought it was mission accomplished with what he was trying to do with them.
Just about everything in his life is a prop. He has no idea what he is doing or talking about. Unless it’s diddling little kids or blowing bubba.
Given the conduct of the US military since… ever, I doubt too many high ranking office there had anything resembling a moral compass even before Trump. Maybe it’s counterproductive, but I love to see the imperial boomerang in action.
Donald Trump is purging the higher ranks based on his prejudices and demands for loyalty
Not exactly…
High ranking cowards are resigning so they keep their pensions.
There are a bunch of hoops trump needs to go thru if he wanted to fire high ranking officers, and he’d never have been able to “fire” as many who gave up without a fight.
If they weren’t cowards, they’d stay and fight. Like, there are established procedures for illegal orders, the only choices aren’t “follow” or “resign”.
All resigning does is leave the spot open for someone who’s fine with the illegal orders.
Unless of course they decide a closet homo pedo rape ape isn’t worthy of the office, and either ‘relieve’ him of his duties, or just start to ignore him and his administration, and instead directly enforce the Constitution
