In a new edition of Command Post, Retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling and Ben Parker give their takes on Trump’s military-heavy State of the Union address, including Trump’s claim that Iran’s nuclear program was “obliterated” even as he suggests military action. They break down how the speech leaned more on ceremony and applause lines than on strategy, vision, or a clear explanation of U.S. national security goals. Former General Hertling also explains why praising military service without explaining its purpose risks misunderstanding the meaning of sacrifice, and why the State of the Union is meant to be more than a performance, it’s supposed to inform Congress and the American people about the country’s direction.

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