Donald Trump is systematically purging the upper ranks of the US military, demanding personal loyalty and turning the institution into a partisan tool, according to political analyst Jan-Werner Müller. The president has delayed or cancelled promotions for officers deemed too close to his critics, such as General Mark Milley, while those targeted by far-right influencers face professional backlash.
Trump has used soldiers as political props, including at a speech at Fort Bragg, violating long-standing norms against instrumentalising state institutions for partisan purposes. Müller argues that every violation becomes a test of loyalty, with critics identifying themselves by objecting.
The president’s logic of impunity extends to the military, with illegal orders such as attacking boats in the Caribbean compromising those who carry them out, making them liable for prosecution and incentivising them to keep Trumpists in power. Meanwhile, pardons for those who tried to steal the 2020 election establish a promise of impunity for loyalists.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has brought a performative style to the Pentagon, prioritising ‘lethality’ over legality and focusing on image over substance. He has removed personnel deemed overweight and made speeches filled with alliteration, suggesting that words drive thinking rather than the reverse.
Deploying soldiers to Democratic cities normalises the presence of troops on the streets, blurs the line between military and civilian life, and sends a message that citizens can be treated as enemies. The Pentagon and homeland security are encouraged to operate in ‘lockstep’ as part of a shared ‘homeland mission’, merging forces into what political scientist Dan Moynihan calls the ‘omniforce’.
