'No Fat Soldiers': A New Trump Military Norm?

Official presidential portrait of Donald Trump during his second term in office as the 47th President of the United States of America. Photo by Daniel Torok, courtesy of the White House. Public domain.

No fat soldiers... that was one of the blunt directives reportedly issued ahead of President Donald Trump's recent appearance at Fort Bragg — where troops were handpicked for both their political loyalty and physical appearance before the Army's 250th anniversary event. Now, a growing backlash is erupting over leaked details that suggest military norms of neutrality were bent to project a staged show of support for the commander in chief.

What was supposed to be a routine morale-boosting speech became a televised spectacle — with uniformed soldiers booing Trump's political enemies and cheering partisan attacks in a scene experts say violated the military's long-standing commitment to political neutrality.

Behind the Scenes: 'No Fat Soldiers,' Loyalty Checks, and Opt-Outs

Internal communications from the 82nd Airborne Division revealed a deliberate effort to curate the audience that would appear behind Trump on camera. Soldiers were reportedly selected based on political leanings and physical fitness — with one unit-level message stating explicitly, "no fat soldiers," as reported by the Daily Beast.

Another internal note reportedly said that soldiers with political views in opposition to the Trump administration could speak to their leadership and be swapped out of the audience.

Military.com reported that the final audience shown on TV was predominantly male and visibly supportive of the president — reacting to partisan cues with cheers, boos, and laughter.

The Public Spectacle: Cheers, Boos, and Political Merch

During his June 10 speech, President Trump delivered a series of pointed partisan attacks. Soldiers in uniform booed California Governor Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and former President Joe Biden as Trump criticized their leadership and claimed they were aiding "insurrectionists," as reported by Military.com.

Adding to concerns, a vendor set up on Army property reportedly sold pro-Trump merchandise, including "Make America Great Again" items — a move that likely violates Department of Defense regulations that prohibit overt political activity on military installations.

Col. Mary Ricks, a Fort Bragg spokesperson, said in a statement "the vendor's presence is under review to determine how it was permitted and to prevent similar occurrences in the future," as reported by Military.com.

Military Experts Raise Red Flags

Several military experts and observers have raised concerns about what unfolded at Fort Bragg. They argue that screening soldiers based on political allegiance — and encouraging partisan displays on camera — undermines the military's apolitical standing.

Graham Parsons, a former philosophy professor at West Point who resigned over concerns about growing politicization in the military, called the Fort Bragg event "extremely dangerous," and warned that it normalizes the appearance of the military as an arm of a political faction, as reported by PBS News.

Internal Discontent Among Soldiers

Not all soldiers at Fort Bragg were comfortable with the staged nature of the event. One anonymous commander told Military.com, "This was shameful. I don't expect anything to come out of it, but I hope maybe we can learn from it long term."

An 82nd Airborne Division noncommissioned officer noted that many of the soldiers booing California leaders likely had no personal knowledge of the individuals involved saying, "I bet none of those soldiers booing even know the mayor's name or could identify them in a lineup; they're nonexistent in the chain of command ... So, any opinion they could possibly have can only be attributed to expressing a political view while in uniform," according to Military.com.

Pentagon Response: Silence and Dismissals

Pentagon officials have largely sidestepped questions about the optics of the event. When asked about soldiers' partisan cheering, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement to Military.com, "Believe me, no one needs to be encouraged to boo the media." He continued, "Look no further than this query, which is nothing more than a disgraceful attempt to ruin the lives of young soldiers."

Military officials have also reportedly declined to say whether troops who violated Department of Defense guidelines on political activity will face any disciplinary action.

A Troubling Pattern?

While presidents from both parties have used military settings to deliver speeches, experts say what happened at Fort Bragg crossed a line.

Past examples include President Biden's 2022 speech flanked by Marines — which drew bipartisan criticism — but most presidential addresses avoid encouraging overt partisan reactions from uniformed troops.

Observers noted that Trump has long blurred the boundaries between political rallies and military events. During his first term, he told troops at MacDill Air Force Base, "We had a wonderful election, didn't we?" and Marines appeared in a 2020 Republican National Committee video, as reported by Military.com.

Looking Ahead

Experts and some former military leaders reportedly worry that the Fort Bragg event could set a precedent if military leadership does not take a clear stand to reinforce neutrality.

Risa Brooks, an expert of civil-military relations at Marquette University, warned that a single instance of this behavior can normalize further violations saying, "Once you see one instance of this happening, it potentially normalizes it ... It opens the door to more instances and more overt violations of the nonpartisan ethic," as reported by Military.com.

For now, with no official disciplinary action announced and more public military events on the horizon, the question remains: will this become the new normal — or a line military leaders work to defend?

References: Bragg Soldiers Who Cheered Trump's Political Attacks While in Uniform Were Checked for Allegiance, Appearance | Orders Revealed for Trump's Army Speech: 'No Fat Soldiers' | Trump's Remarks at Fort Bragg Blur Line Between Military and Partisan Politics