this post was submitted on 25 Sep 2025

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295

'Confusion and alarm' at Pentagon as Hegseth summons top brass to impromptu meeting (www.rawstory.com)

submitted 3 days ago by just_another_person@lemmy.world to c/politics@lemmy.world

70 comments fedilink hide all child comments

They are going to start a small skirmish they call a "war". Mark my words.

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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 116 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Was going to give him shit for not knowing what a fucking admiral was...

But the article is even worse, bro is calling in 800 very high ranking officers, including ones on the other side of the planet actively overseeing armed conflicts.

Not only is this stupid and a waste of time/resources, it's incredibly dangerous from multiple operational standpoints.

[–] BestBouclettes@jlai.lu 57 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Gathering all your high ranking officers in a single place, with an official, request broadcasted worldwide. What could go wrong?

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 48 points 2 days ago

That's 1 issue....

The bigger issue is everyone knowing they won't be where they need to be.

[–] Triumph@fedia.io 50 points 3 days ago (1 children)

The government is threatened with shut down the day after the planned meeting if Congress cannot agree on a budget bill.

Or a coup if Congress can't keep the government open on Wednesday.

When shit turns, it's gonna turn fast. Get ready.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 37 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Oh God!!!!

Could you imagine what would happen if they don't start a new budget on the first day of the fiscal year?!?

Absolutely nothing...

We still don't have a budget for the fiscal year that's ending:

The federal government is operating under a full-year continuing resolution passed in March 2025, which extends the 2024 budget for the whole 2025 fiscal year, with limited changes.[1]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_United_States_federal_budget

[–] Triumph@fedia.io 21 points 3 days ago (1 children)

And it would be a great excuse to do "Congress isn't able to do their job, so we're going to have to implement martial law."

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 21 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

I'm 95% sure this is the first time we're CRing an entire year, but it's probably been decades since the last time it was less than a month late. I remember 20ish years ago worrying about no budget in the military. It's just not a big deal anymore if a budget lapses, it should be but it's not.

So they might use this as an excuse for martial law, but if they did then they'd be using something else as an excuse.

The dangerous part of pre-emptively blaming it on the budget not passing, is we abso-fucking-lutely do not want a MAGA budget. We want to roll with 2024 again and hope we gain ground in the midterms and get a sensible budget.

[–] cobysev@lemmy.world 12 points 2 days ago

I served in the US military for 20 years, from 2002-2022. At least twice that I can recall, they didn't pass a budget in time and we were told that we wouldn't be paid until it was resolved, but to keep working like normal and we'd eventually get paid. Both times it was a very short time before it was resolved and we did eventually get paid again. I think the longest time was about two or three weeks.

For members who used USAA for a bank (a company exclusively for military members and their families), the bank automatically deposited our paychecks in our account on time, because they said they knew the US government was good for it. Anyone who used another bank just had to wait for the government to actually pay us.

If you know anything about military members (especially young service members), a decent amount of them live paycheck to paycheck, not because they have to, but because they're irresponsible with their money. The military pays you well, while also providing food and housing allowances on top of your pay, so your necessities are covered and your base pay is basically pocket money to spend as you like. As such, a lot of service members go out and spend that money and end up with very little in their savings.

So when a government shutdown hits like this, suddenly that safety net of a monthly housing allowance is gone and service members need to pull their own spending money to pay for rent and utilities. Which can be hard to scrounge up last-minute for some.

I was always very fiscally responsible during my service, but most of the people I worked with would go out partying and drinking every week (some every night!) and would be struggling for cash by the next paycheck. Which came bi-monthly for us; we were paid on the 1st and 15th of every month. So there was always a lot of stress and anxiety when the government announced a shutdown.

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[–] scala@lemmy.ml 17 points 2 days ago

This could of been an email. Vibes

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[–] betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world 80 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue.

[–] resipsaloquitur@lemmy.world 29 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Surely you can’t be serious.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 30 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I am. But (say it with me) stop calling me Shirley.

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[–] ExtremeDullard@piefed.social 82 points 3 days ago (2 children)

On Signal? Can we join in?

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 34 points 3 days ago

You weren't invited already?

[–] Assassassin@lemmy.world 23 points 3 days ago (1 children)

It's actually just a public zoom call this time

[–] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 2 days ago

Might be a series of Tiktok videos, now that the second richest fascist in the world, who is also the second richest person in the world, is buying it 😮‍💨🤬

[–] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 65 points 3 days ago (5 children)

Is this the part where they purge anyone who would say no to an unlawful order?

[–] Dragomus@lemmy.world 21 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

The more I think about it the more I feel this is indeed a checkup to see who is loyal and who needs to be long removed before the upcoming midterms...

I can't remember a full on recall of all world wide command staff before a small conflict is started, so this definitely has an ulterior motive.

It might be an innocent event/meeting in itself but behind the curtains they will investigate who responds how to this summons. Perhaps they'll even brainstorm a reason for it, like a military intervention in venezuela, or "we attack the UN" ... perhaps it will be "we occupy gaza" ... or who knows "boots on the ground in Ukraine!" ...but ultimately it will be a loyalty investigation.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 20 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I worry that's next on the list. What did they do in 1933?

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 13 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Well, in replaying the German Nazi time, they already mixed up the timeline. But you can make a list and strike a lot off it already.

They just collected the badges for getting the American Horst Wessel and holding a Reichsparteitag.

Maybe they have a July, 20th, 1944 soon, but with a more successful outcome.

[–] peoplebeproblems@midwest.social 12 points 2 days ago

I think they're purposely moving the order of events around. The law ultimately doesn't apply to them given the supreme Court rulings.

So essentially they took out Hitlers biggest hurdle before even starting his reign.

[–] onslaught545@lemmy.zip 9 points 2 days ago

It's already happened with the top brass. This would be another round of it.

[–] grue@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago

That's already been happening for months now.

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[–] Monument@lemmy.sdf.org 49 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I mean. Choose your own conspiracy.

Coup against democracy. Coup for democracy (unlikely, but hey, who knows when you get that many people with that much power together to talk). Mass firings. Loyalty tests. War against Venezuela. War against Russia? Going to withdraw from the international stage entirely and let China have Taiwan/Russia go full tilt at Ukraine. Gonna invade Greenland. Maybe the U.S. just is planning to fire off all the nukes on October 14th to mark the biggest and only Charlie Kirk Day.

[–] leftzero@lemmy.dbzer0.com 18 points 2 days ago

Smells like a purge.

They'll start calling names, taking them out back, and summarily executing them for some invented treason.

[–] CrabAndBroom@lemmy.ml 12 points 2 days ago (1 children)

As someone who lives in Canada, where they have also threatened to invade, is a bit concerning.

[–] Monument@lemmy.sdf.org 9 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I promise if they enlist me, I will be utterly incompetent.

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[–] Zink@programming.dev 25 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I read the comments first. Was thinking huh, maybe attacking Venezuela?

Then I read the article, which ended with this tidbit:

The government is threatened with shut down the day after the planned meeting if Congress cannot agree on a budget bill.

Boy I sure hope that's a coincidence, otherwise I'm thinking huh, maybe attacking United fucking States?

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[–] meco03211@lemmy.world 44 points 3 days ago (4 children)

My money is this is just a flex. Like from just Hegseth. He wants to show them that he can call them to DC on a whim. Who he's trying to impress? Not a fucking clue.

[–] einlander@lemmy.world 34 points 3 days ago (5 children)

And in the process potentially loose support of the military.

I'm going to add the administration being deposed by the military to my bingo card.

[–] athairmor@lemmy.world 16 points 2 days ago

I wonder what kind of conversations current and former officers have about this administration.

I’d like to think they have a contingency plan for when a certain line is crossed.

[–] Zink@programming.dev 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

the administration being deposed by the military

Oh, that's one of those things I only hear about in the news that happens to little countries on the other side of the world.

The way the last decade has been going, I could see this latest unprecedented event happening by the midterms.

I have no idea of the chances though. It seems like they have loyalists everywhere now. And despite the military's reputation for being right wingers, some career officers I know are smart decent people who understand their oath to protect the constitution.

Unfortunately, I feel like the most likely "deposed by the midterms" scenario involves getting rid of just Trump and putting Vance in place to go on a "you can trust us and vote for us again" tour before implementing the rest of the billionaire 2025 plan.

[–] einlander@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

True. Also there is the chance that they discharge all generals that do not fall in line and replace them with sycophants.

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[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 3 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Yeah, also could be paranoia again. Probably trying to find out if any of them wouldnt break their oaths and protect the country from domestic threats like Pete Hegseth

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[–] forrcaho@lemmy.world 13 points 2 days ago

If I had to guess, I'd say there are probably many in the military's high ranks who believe that blowing up random fishing boats off the coast of Venezuela is a violation of international law, and would refuse if ordered to do so. Maybe everyone who has such a conscience will be fired?

[–] renrenPDX@lemmy.world 23 points 2 days ago (4 children)

Venezuela?

[–] thr0w4w4y2@sh.itjust.works 10 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Greenland? Canada??

[–] BanMe@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago

San Francisco? Seattle?

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[–] Triumph@fedia.io 19 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Tell me you don't understand what chain of command is without saying you don't understand what chain of command is.

[–] ImgurRefugee114@reddthat.com 18 points 3 days ago

Of course he knows what the chain of command is! It's like a leash you get to pull on as the Dom, right?

[–] ieatpwns@lemmy.world 16 points 3 days ago (1 children)

“Guys im having a kegger tonight. If you want to keep your job you’d better bring at least one keg each. Attendance is mandatory”

[–] betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world 11 points 3 days ago

"And bring something for you to drink as well, I'm not getting trashed alone next to a desk full of sharpies again."

[–] Asafum@feddit.nl 16 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Guess we're starting the war with Venezuela since they aren't taking the bait and retaliating to our provocations

[–] betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world 21 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Might be invading the USA in search of Aunt Tifa.

[–] Asafum@feddit.nl 14 points 3 days ago (1 children)

[–] betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world 10 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I get why they're looking but isn't she a little old for them?

[–] Asafum@feddit.nl 11 points 3 days ago

They're actually looking for Aunt Tifa so she can reveal the location of Marlene! Sick fucks!

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 13 points 2 days ago

Guys what's "fragging" mean?

[–] leadore@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

Probably to fire them all

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