«We should use some of the dangerous cities as training grounds.»
A war from within
In an address before all of America’s senior military officials, at an emergency meeting convened by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump declared that the United States faces «a war from within.»
Domestic threats
The U.S. president stated that generals and admirals should be prepared to address domestic threats with the same urgency and discipline usually applied to foreign adversaries.
Away from foreign adversaries
At a rare military gathering in Quantico, Trump urged his top commanders to shift their focus away from foreign adversaries and toward domestic security. The president argued it would be «no different than a foreign enemy,» but emphasized the challenge, noting that the targets «don’t wear uniforms,» which makes the task «more difficult in many ways.»
«they don’t wear uniforms»
«We are under invasion from within … no different than a foreign enemy, but more difficult in many ways because they don’t wear uniforms,» Trump declared in his speech before the nation’s generals, who sat in unusual silence.
The atmosphere
Upon taking the stage, Trump even remarked on the atmosphere, saying: «I never walked into a room so silent before», a striking contrast for a president more accustomed to being greeted with chants and cheers from his fervent MAGA supporters.
«Very unsafe places»
Trump went on to single out major U.S. cities, blaming Democratic leadership for turning them into what he described as dangerous places: «The ones that are run by the radical left Democrats … what they’ve done to San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, they’re very unsafe places.»
One by one
The president then warned his audience that restoring order in these cities would fall to the military, declaring: «And we’re going to straighten them out one by one. And this is going to be a major part for some of the people in this room.»
Training grounds
Trump added that the armed forces should be directly involved in tackling unrest at home, saying: «We should use some of the dangerous cities as training grounds» for the military. The president then revealed that he had issued orders to create quick-reaction forces tasked with helping to quell civil disturbances, directing the National Guard to form standing units capable of rapid deployment across the country.
Trump warned about dissent
During his address to America’s top military leaders, President Trump struck a combative tone while outlining his vision of the armed forces playing a greater role in domestic security. After declaring that the country faced «a war from within» and urging generals and admirals to treat internal threats like foreign enemies, Trump warned the assembled officers about dissent. «If you don’t like what I’m saying, you can leave the room. But, there goes your rank and there goes your future,» he said, according to People.