Trump's military makeover: fewer rules, more violence

The president and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth have begun dramatically rewriting the guidelines for armed forces' operations

Illustration of Pete Hegseth, military vehicles, soldiers and explosions
Hegseth has so far focused on creating a military that is 'more aggressive on the battlefield' while being 'potentially less hindered by the laws of armed conflict'
(Image credit: Illustration by Stephen Kelly / Getty Images)

Unlike his first term effort to laud "my generals" straight out of "central casting" who would "keep us so safe," President Donald Trump has taken a different tack toward the military during his second administration. Eschewing previous attempts to work with existing leadership (many of whom ultimately earned positions on the president's list of perceived enemies), Trump is opting for a more wholesale approach this time around. He has replaced top Pentagon brass and, alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, is working to change the way America goes to war. Capitalizing on his prerogative as commander in chief to oversee a military more to his liking, Trump's plans to remake the armed forces are transforming one of the nation's foundational institutions.

'Quiet but seismic recalibration'

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Rafi Schwartz, The Week US

Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.