Guests - Stephen Mundt, JL Wittenbraker

Military Reforms Under Secretary of War Pete Hegseth

The new Trump administration is making significant changes to the military, with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth delivering a blunt message to military leaders: get fit, get on board with the Trump agenda, or get out. Retired Brigadier General Stephen D. Mundt, who served in the U.S. Army, shared his perspective on these developments.

"Everything that was said to those generals in that meeting was said out loud by Pete, the Secretary of War, and the President of the United States," explained General Mundt. "They didn't cut away, they didn't go into private. His message was refreshing, though some people are saying his tone was crass and highly political. I think that's unfair—his tone was blunt and theatrical, which aligns with his background as a Fox News anchor."

Among the key issues Hegseth addressed were warfighting readiness, women in the military, weight and fitness standards, and facial hair policies. The Secretary emphasized the importance of maintaining appearance standards, particularly regarding facial hair. While special operators may wear beards to blend with local populations, Hegseth argues that standard military personnel should maintain a clean-cut appearance.

Fitness and weight standards were a significant focus. General Mundt shared his personal experience: "When I worked in the Pentagon, I would leave home around 4:15 AM and be in the Pentagon by 4:45 AM to prepare for briefings to senior leaders. You spend your whole day in meetings, trying to catch up on everything you didn't get done, and you get home at 9 PM. You've been grazing all day, trying to eat something when you can, and none of that is conducive to fitness."

Despite these challenges, the General emphasized that fitness must remain paramount: "You do not want that individual in your squad who can't run and keep up. If you're fighting, especially if you get called into action, you need to be fit and ready. If you're representing the country and protecting other soldiers or lives, you would want someone who is fit."

Eliminating Wokeness from the Military

Beyond physical standards, Hegseth also addressed the need to remove "wokeness" from the military following the Biden administration's four-year tenure. General Munt agreed with this direction, noting that this approach extends beyond just military concerns.

"Before we jump off the weight thing, I think health is not just a priority for the military—it's a priority for America. Make America healthy again," he stated.

The General expressed frustration with how certain ideological training has displaced focus on core military readiness: "We would have so many sexual harassment trainings and various mandatory sessions. At the end of the day, I had no idea what the actual purpose was supposed to be. It boils down to an ideology. Nobody is denying anyone their rights, but your rights don't supersede my rights. The problem is we want small groups of people with a certain ideology to transform everybody else to meet their way of thinking. That's not how the world works."

Global Threats and Military Readiness

In discussing why military readiness matters, General Mundt highlighted several global threats facing the United States, with particular emphasis on China.

"China is not your friend and they're not trying to be your friend," Mundt warned. "They talk about the 'long war' and they don't think like we do. They are absolutely intent on the destruction of the United States as we know it and bringing their form of government here."

The General expressed concern about China's global expansion: "China is in the middle of Africa, in the middle of mineral-rich areas. China is any place you think of, and everybody sits around saying 'No, they're okay.' No, they're not. They are communists, socialists, and evil dictatorships and oligarchies."

Russia and ongoing conflicts in Gaza were also mentioned as critical threats requiring a prepared military response. The General expressed frustration with prolonged negotiations: "Hamas and Hezbollah say, 'I'll make you a deal, I'll take your terms, but we're going to control it. We're not going to lay down our arms.' At some point, you have to say you cannot negotiate with this group of people."

Military Recruitment and Retention Success

Despite challenges, there was positive news regarding military recruitment and retention. "We have already closed out our recruiting goals for the year," General Mundt noted. "The Marines have already closed out their retention goals for the year because Marines are cool. The Army's close on their heels, but we're a slightly bigger organization."

This success demonstrates that "people will sign up and serve if they believe in what you represent and what you mean," according to Mundt.

When asked whether the military is better now than a year ago, and whether it will be better a year from now, the General provided a measured response: "Today, we're better than we were yesterday. One of the philosophies in the military is you should always be improving on where you were yesterday. The strength of our military is the men and women in uniform. Given the right tools—good leadership, the best equipment this country can provide, and the training and resources to be the best they can—they will be the best they can."

Tucson City Council Election and Homelessness Crisis

The conversation shifted to local politics with Janet Wittenbraker, candidate for Ward 3 in the Tucson City Council election. Wittenbraker highlighted significant problems facing the city, particularly regarding homelessness and public safety.

"The City of Tucson is building what they refer to as Star Village, a sanctioned encampment between Stone and Seventh off Grant. It's surrounded by the Balboa Heights community as well as Chisholm and north of the Sugar Hill community—predominantly Black, low-income communities," Wittenbraker explained. "It's also surrounded by businesses. No one is happy about this."

The site is intended for "25 women and non-binary" individuals, a designation Wittenbraker criticized for potentially creating safety issues: "We have seen examples when they have mixed women with men who identify as women, and we have seen incidences of rape and violence."

Wittenbraker emphasized that homelessness has become a serious public safety concern: "A bicyclist was stabbed to death on the Loop. People in our community who are drugged, who have addiction issues, who have mental health issues are murdering our citizens. It's enough."

She described a tour she took of "100 Acre Woods," a large homeless encampment in Tucson: "This homeless encampment, which the city just turns a blind eye to—or rather, provides services to—has grown to be one of the largest homeless encampments in Arizona. These people threatened us with a machete, a golf club. They're using drugs. A woman walked by us who was clearly beaten, her face was all bruised up. And they allow for this, all in the name of compassion."

Need for Accountability in City Government

Wittenbraker argued that the current approach to homelessness lacks accountability: "Each time the conservative voice has said 'What about accountability?' they've been shouted down by a liberal minority that tells us we're not compassionate. That is the furthest thing from the truth. The reality is what Tucson is allowing to happen on our streets, in recreational areas, and in our neighborhoods is not compassionate—it is inhumane."

She criticized incumbent Kevin Dahl for being unresponsive to constituent concerns: "Kevin Dahl has been faced with many issues brought up by the community. I have met with homeowners associations, neighborhood groups, people one-on-one through door knocking activities, who have all requested Kevin Dahl's time to meet with him to discuss issues. Each time he has declined or agreed hesitantly."

Wittenbraker cited her professional experience as a qualification for office: "I was previously employed by the city manager's office. I actually know how the government is supposed to work. I am very well-versed in the city charter, which dictates exactly what the mayor and council must provide—which, by the way, they are not."

Upcoming City Council Election

The upcoming Tucson City Council election presents an opportunity for change, with ballots going out on October 8th and the election on November 4th. Wittenbraker emphasized that the entire city elects council members for each seat, meaning all Tucson voters can vote for her regardless of where they live in the city.

She highlighted the importance of voter turnout: "If you don't vote, your mayor and council don't care what you have to say. That's why this encampment is going where it is—because these people aren't engaged. The city of Tucson, your city government, is patronizing the small demographic that votes and keeps voting in these knuckleheads."

Wittenbraker urged voters to consider the failures of the current administration: "The job per the city charter is to provide public safety, good roads, and quality parks. We don't have any of those three in a row—pick, tack, toe, they need to go."