New Delhi, India: As President-elect Donald Trump ‘s transition team prepares for his incoming administration, a draft executive order is reportedly on his desk that could drastically reshape the U.S. military leadership. The order, if signed, would create a new entity called the “warrior board,” empowered to recommend the dismissal of any three- or four-star generals it deems unfit for service. Once recommendations are made, President Trump would be required to act on them within 30 days, removing any military leaders deemed “lacking in requisite leadership qualities.”
The draft order, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal, would make it easier to dismiss high-ranking military officials and bypass traditional promotion protocols. The new board would be given the authority to evaluate top military leaders, with the power to remove them from consideration for promotions or reassignment for reasons deemed by the board to be sufficient, potentially targeting officers who fail to align with the Trump administration’s vision.
This proposal mirrors a similar structure from World War II, when General George C. Marshall created a “plucking board” in 1940. The board, consisting of retired generals, was designed to remove officers who were not seen as possessing the qualities necessary for promotion. While Marshall’s board was intended to elevate promising young officers rather than purge the military, the similarities between the two proposals are striking, particularly in the potential for the board to reshape the command structure based on political and leadership considerations.
Trump’s relationship with military leadership has been turbulent, with the President-elect often criticizing certain generals, particularly those involved in decisions regarding the U.S. military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. He has also long expressed frustration with what he calls “woke generals” within the ranks of the military. The proposed executive order seems to signal a desire to purge the ranks of officers who may not be fully aligned with his vision, echoing his ongoing criticism of the military establishment and its leadership.
While Trump, as commander-in-chief, already holds the authority to fire military officers at will, the establishment of an outside board could add a new layer of transparency — or controversy — to the process. The use of a board, which would be handpicked by Trump, could sidestep the Pentagon’s traditional promotion system, raising questions about its potential to serve as a political tool.
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