Donald Trump Could Put a "Military Purge" Into Effect Once He Is Back in the White House

Even before President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office for his second term in the White House, he has announced several orders of business. Some of those include changes in staff members once he takes office, and one apparently includes what is called a "military purge." But what is the meaning of a military purge and how will it affect Americans once Trump is in political power again?

In some ways, nothing that Trump says about his presidency can be confirmed until he is actually sworn in and can get to work. But his plans spread wide, and as they include dismantling the Department of Education and moving different Republican politicians into positions of power, he has his eyes on a military movement as well.

There are reports that, among Trump's many plans for the United States government when he gets back in the White House, he wants to purge current military leaders. It essentially means he plans to remove them from their positions and replace them with other leaders, or "purge" the military of its current commanding officers.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump's plans involve going in and deciding which military officials meet his selective criteria for commanding the military forces in the U.S. During Trump's campaign for his second term in the White House, he did mention getting rid of "woke generals" in the military. And this new agenda seems to echo that.

Trump's planned changes don't stop with the military. On Nov. 10, Trump posted on X about changes in leadership and transitioning to Republican officials.

"Any Republican senator seeking the coveted LEADERSHIP position in the United States Senate must agree to Recess Appointments (in the Senate!), without which we will not be able to get people confirmed in a timely manner," he wrote. "Sometimes the votes can take two years, or more. This is what they did four years ago, and we cannot let it happen again. We need positions filled IMMEDIATELY!"

With the possibility of Congress being made up mostly of Republican politicians hand-picked by Trump, there are some key changes that could be made in the U.S. military over time during his four-year term that begins in January 2025. There could be another ban on transgender members of the military, which goes with Trump's previous complaints of "woke generals."

There are also paid leave policies in place for military personnel who need to seek medical attention for abortions. Under Trump's presidency and with his planned changes, that could drastically shift as well. As Trump continues to roll out plans for change, it looks like each branch of the government is poised to see those changes go into effect.