'Can you imagine the disdain?' Ex-GOP insider says Pete Hegseth setting stage for a 'coup'

[turbinetree]

By David McAfee
Published September 27, 2025 5:30 PM ET

As U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth orders military brass from all around the world to meet with him for unstated reasons, he may be facing a form of military uprising, according to an independent political strategist who worked on former President George W. Bush's campaign.

Political strategist Steve Schmidt on Saturday published an article called Questions for the generals, in which he argues that Hegseth is setting the stage for a potential "coup."

"Of course, the mind cannot help but drift towards the nefarious when the stupidity overwhelms every conceivable explanation for why the entire senior leadership of the US military would be ordered to depart their commands, and assemble at a precise geographic point at a precise time," he wrote. "Were the scenario the basis for a movie depicting the beginning of a coup it would be dismissed as too far-fetched because nothing so absurd could ever be allowed to happen in real life — not to mention the cost, waste of taxpayer money and massive logistics involved. Yet, here we are."

https://www.rawstory.com/hegseth-coup-schmidt/

Hey Ernst............., as Schmidt said " the mind cannot help but drift towards the nefarious when the stupidity overwhelms every conceivable explanation for why the entire senior leadership of the US military would be ordered to depart their commands, and assemble at a precise geographic point at a precise time," he wrote. "Were the scenario the basis for a movie depicting the beginning of a coup it would be dismissed as too far-fetched because nothing so absurd could ever be allowed to happen in real life — not to mention the cost, waste of taxpayer money and massive logistics involved. Yet, here we are."


So Ernst do you still get that warm fuzzy feeling that you helped put this ass**** in this position...........when you both were in combat did all of the higher ups meet in one spot..............your vote for this disgrace is a disgrace just like you are............

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Not quite clear to me

A coup against Hegseth? Or a seizure of power? I kind of thought it was a test of loyalty, to take the temperature in the room.

[turbinetree]

3. I think he wants to see a bunch of hands raised if they are in or out on what he and that orange hair traitor is doing.

he has already demoted some qualified people ..............

[usonian]

6. Demoted? He canned the commandants of the Navy and Coast Guard for unforgivable crimes.

Being female.

And by the way.

[haele]

7. I think he's trying to say that this "recall" will piss off the flags and command NCOs.

Especially since most of them are dealing with an uncertain NDAA, and potential government shutdown.
Hegseth just made them take anywhere from $3k to $20k out of the command budget to pay for the travel, which could be the difference between someone in the command traveling later on during the year or not, potentially deferring critical maintenance or training.
A good number of them are probably paying for this on their own credit cards, and hope they might be able to get reimbursed before Christmas.
Ya, they aren't happy at all. And if all this is going to be is a get together pep talk, they'll be even more unhappy.

[ancianita]

20. If these guys piss off military leadership, they won't command anything in Reality.

[Wiz Imp]

22. I read they also could be stuck in Virginia if a shutdown happens.

They'd have to pay their own way home.

[usonian]

2. I have concern for their lives. NT

[WhiteTara]

4. me too.

[area51]

25. +1

If I were really going to , I'd say that Whiskey Pete may try to have them assassinated, & then #PEDOnald would use that as an excuse for martial law.

[Alice B.]

5. I heard someone say that he's just doing it to show he can summon them from the four corners ...

... of the world for a 30 minute in-person meeting. Because he can.

And a stupid ego trip makes total sense to me.

[dweller]

8. Honestly

I wish a couple of dozen of them would just throw down and beat his ass … just for the morale boost .



✌🏻

[mopinko]

13. i dont think this will go down like he thinks it will.

i’m hoping they gang up on him and stuff him in a locker. pretty sure more than a few of them dont want to invade portland. or chicago.

[The Blue Flower]

9. He knows he's in over his head

Virtually everything he does is to flex his power and prove his strength. He's threatened by smart, competent women and needs to crack the whip over the generals. Just because he can.

[SheltieLover]

12. Pls see #11 meant as reply to you

[Callie1979]

31. Probably challenge them to a push up contest.

[Callie1979]

10. I believe its just a chest thumping exercise by WhiskyPete

"Tough guy" speech, lots of threats, lots of bluster and a lot of wasted money

[SheltieLover]

11. But they might smear his makeup or muss his hair

On edit: intended as reply to #9.

[Callie1979]

30. This replay works ANYWHERE

[KS Toronado]

14. I keep reading articles about Pete Hegseth and a 'coup'

But I never hear where this "coup" is going to take place, couldn't be here because that would mean
dumpie, somewhere in South America?

[usonian]

16. It could mean him jailing every damn one of them for "re-education" like the Chinese do. THAT kind of coup.

I would not go near that place.

[littlemissmartypants]

15. It's going to be nothing more than a really, really...

Expensive photo op.

[AverageOldGuy]

17. I hope I'm wrong

But I keep thinking it’s about some kind of pledging allegiance to Trump.

[Whiskeytide]

34. I hope you're wrong too, but I'm pretty sure that's is ...

… exactly what it is. He’ll hint at what’s to come on the domestic front, and anyone who even looks like they might not support that will be demoted or retired. That will leave only the pro-maga sycophants in control at the top brass level. Someone said last week that if there is going to be any pushback on Тяцмp‘s plan to create an authoritarian US, it will have to come from mid-level officers.

[montanacowboy]

18. 7 Days in May

just sayin

[Doodley]

19. It will be used to make a pro-MAGA propaganda film with Hegseth talking about American strength under Trump's

leadership.

[Jack Valentino]

21. Would be a great initial target for a Russian submarine-launched ballistic missile

if the Russians wanted to start that nuclear war.......



so the very idea of having such a meeting is an extreme danger to our national security---
but when you put a drunk in charge of the DOD, you can expect such instances to happen

[Deuxcents]

27. My thought, too. Who in their right mind calls for all the military brass to be in one place at a designated time

And make it public information?

[Jack Valentino]

35. And now TRUMP is going to be there, too ??

Gosh, is the "War Department" completely unaware of all the World War III rhetoric that has been coming out of Russia?

[soldierant]

23. Hitler, or one of his henchmen called a similar meering back in the day.

It was to order them to renounce their oaths to the Weimar Republic (Constitution) and take new oaths to Hitler.

[LudwigPastorius]

24. Day of the Long Knives

Those who aren't loyal to Trump over the Constitution will be purged.

[QED]

26. Echoes of Saddam Hussein

He had a big assembly like this and had his generals pledge allegiance. Those that couldn't/wouldn't were lead away and ended up dead. When Little Peter tries this, it's time for an "I am Spartacus" moment.

[Bread and Circuses]

28. The coup already happened, they've moved on to invading nations ..

That refuse to pay bribes. Hence the military .

[DBoon]

29. I keep thinking of Al Capone and his baseball bat

[Deep State Witch]

32. More Like A Purge

Along the lines of Hitler, Stalin, Saddam Hussein, etc. Standard practice for authoritarians. Bend the knee or lose your job.

[Rebl2]

33. Now I

See Trump has invited himself or maybe that was the plan all along. I think they will demand a loyalty pledge to trumpy and if you don’t, you will be gone, one way or another.
The coup should be the general’s rounding up Trumpy and hegseth at gun point and throwing them in military prison.