The Trump administration, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, gathered top military brass in Quantico to announce new military standards. The event didn’t land well and has been widely criticized, with one official saying it “could have been an email.” However, tensions across the globe are higher than at any point since the Cold War. Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine, China’s influence in Central America is growing, authoritarian regimes are building alliances, and America’s allies are questioning whether they can count on U.S. leadership.
We must ask ourselves, Is America Sleeping?
In the book "The War on Warriors," Hegseth describes a military that has lost its focus, lowered its standards, and strayed from a system of advancement based on merit to one based on identity politics. He cites that the lower standards have diminished efficiency, and the focus on politics has created division within the ranks. He wants to reverse that trend and do it quickly.
In 2023, Diana Maurer of the GAO testified before Congress about military readiness. She identified a “wide range of persistent challenges” that affect operations “in the air, in the sea, on the ground, and in space.” A 2025 GAO report reviewed 18 ground vehicles and found “a lack of parts and materiel and not having current technical data or drawings.”
The problem stems from the dysfunction and partisan fighting in Congress. The inability to pass annual on-time appropriations leaves the military operating on stopgap funding, which locks the Pentagon into last year's budget with only a 0.7% increase, insufficient to keep pace with inflation and rising personal costs.
Hegseth is right to refocus the military on its core purpose of defending American citizens and interests. However, such a brash display, broadcast for the world to see, is the wrong way to refocus it. We need leaders who educate citizens on the importance of military readiness. We need leadership to bring Congress to the table, not push the partisan buttons that drive us apart.
They say history doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme. Today, the events are rhyming with the events that led to WWI. There is a lot known about the reasons for WWII, and Hitler is everybody’s fascist to denounce, but before him, there was another insecure German leader who helped launch World War I.
Kaiser Wilhelm II dismissed Chancellor Otto von Bismarck in 1890, taking control over foreign policy. He was ambitious and erratic. He witnessed the Spanish Empire shrink, the United States emerge as a global power, and France and England dominate colonial holdings.
During the McKinley Administration, America entered the discussion of a world empire. During this phase of American imperialism, Guam, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii were added to the U.S. holdings. Furthermore, for the first time, America expanded into the Eastern Hemisphere, incorporating the Philippines as well. The acquisition of territory and the growth of industrialization in America disrupted and enhanced international trade.
Meanwhile, in Europe, nationalism was on the rise, the great powers were building up their military and competing for resources and colonies, while alliances began to form. The Triple Alliance joined Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy, while the Triple Entente joined France, Russia, and Britain.
Wilhelm II wanted to compete on the world stage. After the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated. Germany gave full support to Austria-Hungary, which promptly invaded Serbia. Russia mobilized for defense, and within a month, the world was at war.
Fast forward to today. China is a growing industrial power that has extended its influence beyond its hemisphere, competing for resources. Russia is challenging for land and power in Europe. New alliances are forming between China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Tariffs are disrupting international trade. The arms race has now shifted to cyberspace, as major players compete for dominance in AI and robotics.
John F. Kennedy, in “Why England Slept,” argued that liberal democracies are too weak to deal with authoritarian governments. Echoing Alex De Tocqueville, that popular government doesn’t lend itself to effective foreign policy. It is only when survival is threatened that liberal democracies rise to protect themselves.
However, in representative governments, like ours, leaders have a responsibility to educate citizens and keep the country focused, rather than cowering to electoral demands. We don’t have to sit on the sidelines until our freedom is threatened. We can prepare and defend. We can adopt the concept of “peace through strength” as past generations have. Although they were late to the table, democracies rose to the challenge of defeating the Triple Alliance in World War I and Hitler during World War II.
In his book, Hegseth shares a personal story from his time serving in the National Guard during the George Floyd Protests in 2020. He and his fellow guardsmen are hurled racist insults. They remained calm, holding the line, working together as a team, and never letting their emotions get the best of them.
It’s that type of calm confidence our Allies are looking for from the U.S. to lead. Not the loud insecurity on display in Quantico. Peace and prosperity, strength and defense are a mindset, not a foregone conclusion. We need leaders to bridge the partisan divide, and we need Congress to act in the country's best interests, not their own partisan ones. We need to wake up. “Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.” Democracy has its challenges, but it is the best form of government for defending against an authoritarian state, as freedom is rare and worth protecting.
Jeff Mayhugh is a former congressional candidate for VA 10, the founding editor of Politics and Parenting , and vice president at No Cap Fund.
