How a Trump presidency could lead to a purge at the Pentagon
In his second term, Donald Trump is expected to root out military officers and career civil servants he perceives to be disloyal
During his campaign for re-election, Donald Trump vowed to purge the military of so-called “woke” generals. Now that he is president-elect, the question in the halls of the Pentagon is whether he would go much further.
Trump is expected to have a far darker view of his military leaders in his second term, after facing Pentagon resistance over everything from his scepticism toward Nato to his readiness to deploy troops to quell protests on US streets.
Trump’s former US generals and defence secretaries are among his fiercest critics, some branding him a fascist and declaring him unfit for office. Angered, Trump has suggested that his former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, could be executed for treason.
Current and former US officials say Trump will prioritise loyalty in his second term and root out military officers and career civil servants he perceives to be disloyal.
“He will destroy the Department of Defence, frankly. He will go in and he will dismiss generals who stand up for the Constitution,” said Jack Reed, the Democrat who leads the Senate Armed Services Committee.
