Introduction
On Tuesday, Donald Trump and his Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, presided over an event at the Marine base in Quantico, Virginia. This was not a mere protocol but an announcement of an authoritarian shift in the United States with direct consequences for the world. In their speeches to the highest military commanders, they presented a project to reshape the armed forces, not only in their external mission but also in their cultural identity and relationship with civilian life.
The New Military Vision
Hegseth was explicit: there is no place for overweight generals or women who do not meet male physical standards. He proposes a homogeneous army of strong, virile, disciplined, and obedient soldiers, devoid of diversity or equity programs based on race, gender, or sexual orientation.
Trump warned that military personnel not adhering to the new philosophy should retire, and loyalty to him would be the measure of their careers. He promised to remove legal restrictions limiting soldiers’ actions, stating that U.S. cities would serve as “training grounds” for combating the “internal war.”
Implications for Mexico and the World
The immediate repercussions for Mexico are clear. A president who normalizes troops in its streets will not hesitate to further militarize the border. Migrants from Mexico and Central America, labeled as “invaders” by Trump, could become military targets. The new, exclusionary philosophy facilitates the execution of military orders without respecting human rights, likely leading to increased incidents along the border and forcing Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum to navigate a neighbor wielding not just tariffs but the threat of force.
There is a continuity between Trump’s Quantico statements and his rhetoric about Mexico: sending troops to “eliminate” drug cartels, labeling them as “terrorists” to enable military actions, and deploying thousands of soldiers to the border with potential increases in their numbers. The next step could be extending this “internal war” logic southward.
The risks, however, extend beyond Mexico. The redesign of the world’s most powerful military under authoritarian criteria threatens the rest of the planet, including U.S. allies, who might be treated as obstacles if they fail to align with Trump’s whims. A military designed for blind obedience and unrestricted force does not distinguish between friends and foes.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main message of Trump’s event in Quantico? The message is clear: the military will no longer only dissuade external threats but intervene in domestic affairs. The line between national defense and domestic order disappears, as Trump aims to transform a politically neutral and professional institution into one of his political arms.
- How does this affect Mexico? A president who normalizes troops in its streets may further militarize the border, turning migrants into military targets. This could lead to increased incidents along the border and force Mexico’s diplomatic efforts to confront a neighbor wielding not just tariffs but the threat of force.
- What are the global implications? The redirection of the world’s most powerful military under authoritarian criteria threatens the rest of the planet, including U.S. allies. A military designed for blind obedience and unrestricted force does not distinguish between friends and foes, posing a significant risk to democracy and peace.
