Tuesday, June 10th, President Trump made a routine appearance as commander in chief with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The intention was to rally the troops, boost their morale, and celebrate the Army’s 250th birthday, which culminates this week with a military parade in Washington D.C., this Saturday, June 14th. However, the visit was not reminiscent of what has typically been routine.
The Army has historically been a politically neutral institution, choosing not to engage in partisan politics. Partisan cheering at military events, particularly while a member of the Army is in uniform, has always been considered contrary to Defense Department policy and could lead to disciplinary action. This policy, however, seemed to have been ignored by President Trump during his Tuesday visit to Fort Bragg. Potential violations of the military regulations found in the Uniform Code of Military Justice have been cited.
Trump’s speech to troops was politically charged, often evoking “boos” from the crowd of troops upon mentioning his political opponents, the press, and former president, Joe Biden. Trump also targeted California Governor Gavin Newsom, amid his recent decision to deploy the National Guard and Marines against ICE protestors in LA. Loud laughter, cheering, and boos were on display from the crowd of troops who normally remain unresponsive in the face of political partisanship.
The unusually animated crowd at Fort Bragg was no fluke. Following the speech by Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s remarks, Internal 82nd Airborne Division communications revealed a tightly orchestrated plan to curate the audience and environment of the visit. Soldiers were handpicked for the audience based on political leanings and even physical appearance. Ultimately, those selected to be directly behind Trump’s podium, and visible to cameras, were almost exclusively male. A unit-level message explicitly said “no fat soldiers.” Another note to troops stated, “If soldiers have political views that are in opposition to the current administration and they don’t want to be in the audience, then they need to speak with their leadership and get swapped out.”
Vetting audience members for political allegiance aligns with Trump’s motives of using the military as a backdrop for his political purposes. Many former military leaders were disappointed with the display at Fort Bragg, and the public silence from current military leadership is being viewed as an active step away from maintaining the military’s non-partisan identity, and to some, as a step away from democracy.
