US Military Is Afflicted By Political Ideologies — Can Trump Save It?

With Donald Trump returning to the White House, it’s clear that America’s military will soon face a reckoning.

Trump has made it abundantly clear: the United States (US) military, the mightiest fighting force in the world, needs to purge itself of the increasingly laughable and dangerous political ideologies it has embraced in recent years.

From the absurdities of “wokeness” to the obsession with diversity and inclusion, the US military has unfortunately found itself tangled in a web of politically correct nonsense, losing sight of its real purpose — combat readiness.

Take, for instance, the military’s fixation on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training.

While inclusivity is important in any institution, the military’s sprawling DEI programmes often come across as a solution in search of a problem. The Pentagon has spent millions of dollars on workshops, training sessions, and even consultants to improve “equity” within its ranks. Yet, what measurable impact has this had on the battlefield?

The US' adversaries, like China and Russia, aren’t wasting time pondering the diversity of their armed forces; they’re building hypersonic missiles and artificial intelligence-driven weapon systems. Meanwhile, American troops are attending seminars on unconscious bias.

Then there’s the military’s embrace of gender-neutral fitness standards, an initiative designed to level the playing field between male and female recruits. In theory, this sounds fair. In practice, it has led to easing of physical benchmarks, with some units permitting relaxed fitness tests for everyone to ensure “inclusivity.”

The harsh reality of combat doesn’t adjust itself for inclusivity. If a soldier cannot carry a wounded comrade to safety or handle the physical demands of war, it doesn’t matter how equitable the system was that got them there.

The enemy won’t care about fairness — they’ll care about winning.

And then there’s the US Navy’s brilliant decision to sponsor a drag queen as a digital ambassador for recruitment. Yes, you read that right. The US Navy thought it would be a stellar idea to recruit future sailors by aligning with social media influencers — including a non-binary drag performer.

Apparently, the US Navy’s new strategy to appeal to Gen Z involves a heavy dose of glitter, heels, and social media trends. Sure, it’s important to connect with the younger generation. But was this the best way to attract new recruits? Clearly not.

The creators of these "woke" recruitment campaigns never bothered to ask whether they’d resonate in conservative states like Texas, Florida, and South Carolina. Or maybe they weren’t even aiming to recruit young men and women from those states at all. Either way, both possibilities are downright alarming.

Predictably, the campaign backfired — who could’ve seen that coming? It ended up creating more division than recruitment, sparking a firestorm of criticism.

For a branch already struggling with historic recruitment shortfalls, this is exactly the kind of PR disaster that wasn't needed. Instead of rebuilding credibility with potential recruits, the Navy managed to distract from its core mission. Maybe next time they’ll consider promoting sea shanties or TikTok dances as part of their military strategy.

In 2022, the US Army rolled out a short-lived campaign centred on soldiers' personal pronouns, which managed to alienate traditional recruits while failing to attract the intended audience. Recruitment numbers continued to plummet, underscoring the disconnect between the focus of the leadership and reality.

The issues don’t end with recruitment.

On the operational side, the Pentagon has also embraced costly green energy initiatives, including transitioning some military vehicles to electric power. While reducing carbon emissions is a noble goal, introducing electric vehicles (EVs) on the battlefield raises significant logistical and strategic concerns.

EVs require charging infrastructure, which is impractical in most combat zones. Imagine trying to charge an armoured personnel carrier in the middle of a firefight. This isn’t progress; it’s an expensive distraction.

And then there’s the infamous decision to rename military bases associated with Confederate figures — a move that cost the Department of Defense over $60 million. While the debate over these names is valid, was this really the most pressing issue for the US military to address?

At a time of growing threats from China's assertiveness, redirecting resources to rename bases felt more like performative politics than sound policy. It didn’t improve readiness, enhance capabilities, or deter adversaries.

These aren’t isolated incidents; they’re symptoms of a broader cultural drift within the US military’s leadership. Instead of focusing on the hard realities of warfighting, the force appears increasingly preoccupied with appeasing political trends.

Every dollar spent on DEI consultants, every hour spent in ideological training sessions, and every resource diverted to symbolic gestures is a dollar, hour, and resource not spent preparing for the next conflict.

China and Russia are undoubtedly watching this with interest — and likely some amusement. They’re testing hypersonic glide vehicles, expanding naval fleets, and conducting large-scale military exercises. Meanwhile, the US military is tangled in debates over pronouns. This disparity isn’t just embarrassing; it’s dangerous.

The US military is still the most powerful fighting force on Earth, but power alone isn’t enough. To maintain its edge, it needs to abandon these ideological detours and return to the basics: training, discipline, and preparedness.

Trump’s return to power may finally bring an end to the military’s misguided experiment with political ideologies. His vow to eradicate woke policies has struck a chord with a large part of the US electorate, as evidenced by his victory in the popular vote.

While his critics may scoff at his rhetoric, his commitment to purging the military of these disastrous ideas is crucial if the US is to have any hope of remaining the dominant fighting force in the world, at least for the foreseeable future.