We start with an extraordinary gathering in Quantico, Virginia. Hundreds of the nation’s top military leaders were abruptly summoned to hear from President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. On stage, Hegseth unveiled 10 directives for the armed forces, pledging to root out what he called “wokeness,” overhaul fitness standards and even rebrand the Pentagon. From now on, he declared, the Defense Department will go by its historic name: the Department of War. He opened by announcing the end of policies related to diversity, equity and inclusion, then turned to physical standards, bluntly criticizing what he described as “fat” troops and demanding stricter grooming requirements across the ranks. Senior national security correspondent Courtney Kube and retired Army Col. Jack Jacobs, an NBC News military analyst, join host Yasmin Vossoughian to break it down. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking in Washington. Funding for the federal government runs out at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, and without a deal, hundreds of thousands of federal workers could soon be working without pay or sent home without a paycheck. From air traffic controllers to park rangers to military families, the ripple effects of a shutdown would be felt coast to coast. NBC News chief Capitol Hill correspondent Ryan Nobles joins the pod.
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