The strategic decline of the U.S. Armed Forces (Parts I & II)

By Sergio Rodriguez Gelfenstein 
September 22, 2026

Strategic leadership and troop morale (Part I)

The author is a consultant, international analyst, former military officer and former Director of International Relations of the Presidency of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. He published the following two articles on his website on Sept. 8 and Sept. 15, 2026. Translation: John Catalinotto

In October of last year, I wrote an article in which I highlighted the internal problems plaguing the U.S. Armed Forces. At that time, I emphasized those doctrinal elements where disagreements were evident among the Pentagon’s political and military leaders — particularly regarding the new defense strategy drafted by the Trump administration.

In that article, I noted that the viewpoint of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth — who has asserted that the focus of U.S. military concerns should be on confronting and defeating internal threats — is met with resistance from the Armed Forces’ high command, as a significant number of generals and admirals believed the secretary was downplaying U.S. competition with China and diminishing the country’s role in Europe and other regions of the world.

This critical situation appears to have worsened over the past two months. In this regard, I will mention four fundamental perspectives which, while not exhaustive, highlight aspects of an armed force’s combat capability that undoubtedly influence the assessment of its true combat readiness. They are:

1. Strategic leadership
2. Troop morale
3. Infrastructure
4. Equipment

Let’s take a look:

Regarding strategic leadership, the impact of Pete Hegseth’s mismanagement of the Department of War is well known — to such an extent that on Aug. 6 President Donald Trump himself had to appear publicly to deny that he had tensions with Hegseth stemming from the “false information” that Hegseth had allegedly provided him regarding the country’s weapons reserves, which were supposedly depleted during the war against Iran.

Arguing in defense of the only military success achieved by the United States during his term (the incursion into Venezuela and the kidnapping of President Maduro) and blatantly lying about his war with Iran, Trump launched a scathing attack against the media, whom he blames for misreporting his accomplishments — which, according to him, include the successful conclusion of ten wars.

However, the resignation of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has laid bare the institutional crisis within the Department of War under Hegseth’s leadership. This development adds to a series of dismissals and blocked promotions of high-ranking military officials, which are causing concern among Republican senators and representatives.

Driscoll is a MAGA official close to Vice President JD Vance. His departure follows that of Army Chief of Staff Randy A. George amid disagreements over the modernization of the armed forces. Reports indicate that the restructuring undertaken by Hegseth has affected more than 10% of the military leadership by halting promotions for dozens of senior officers.

On an interim basis, the position of Army Chief of Staff is being filled by General Christopher LaNeve, who is very close to Hegseth, highlighting the internal rift within the Armed Forces. Driscoll’s departure comes on top of those of the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, and the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Jim Slife.

Shifting responsibility for these matters — particularly the thorny issue of ammunition reserves — Hegseth blamed his undersecretary, Stephen Feinberg, holding him accountable as well for failing to ensure that the president was fully informed of the situation.

This situation arises as the U.S. Armed Forces face operational demands stemming from the conflict in West Asia, which has dragged on for more than six months and has resulted in significant logistical strain and a severe impact on the strategic readiness of troops deployed on prolonged international missions — a fact that Trump and Hegseth have consistently denied.

Instability creates a vacuum

It is no secret that instability in the leadership of the U.S. Armed Forces — due to the constant replacement of senior commanders — creates a vacuum in command and leadership and hinders the technological innovation needed at a time as complex as the present.

Trump and Hegseth’s insistence on maintaining interim commanders based on political criteria — to prevent generals and admirals “linked to the Democratic Party” and to “woke” ideology from accessing key positions — aims to consolidate a chain of command tied to the Republican Party. The real possibility that the Republican Party could lose control of the Senate — which decides on promotions to general and admiral ranks — in the upcoming elections is, paradoxically, prompting Hegseth to try to accelerate the process.

On another front, the U.S. Navy is facing mounting financial pressure, as Washington’s protracted war against Iran has consumed billions of dollars in operational expenses, forcing the institution to divert funds intended for salaries and other military needs, thereby affecting weapons reserves and military infrastructure — given that months of combat operations, naval deployments and Iranian retaliatory strikes continue to drain the Pentagon’s resources. “The reserves are depleted,” retired U.S. Navy officer Harlan Ullman told the British newspaper The Guardian. (Aug. 28)

On another front, the issue of troops’ working and living conditions — which affects their combat morale — reached a turning point following the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln’s nine-month continuous deployment at sea, during which it showed serious signs of deterioration, as reported by the sailors themselves aboard the ship.

Among the problems reported on this ship, which was first launched in February 1988, were moldy showers that had to be shut down for several days.

The same was true of the laundry facilities. Similarly, problems were detected with hot and drinking water, as well as broken toilets that clogged and overflowed, leaving a buildup of human waste in the bathrooms used by some 200 sailors.

In addition, crew members reported food shortages and long lines lasting an hour or more to buy food at the ship’s store.

One of the sailors noted in a message to his mother that “sometimes the meal consisted of half a cup of rice and two tortillas,” a revelation that was highlighted by Democratic Congressman Mike Levin on X, even though the government had already denied it. For an extended period, the sailors had to subsist on tuna mixed with noodles or hot dogs; several reported having lost significant weight.

Similarly, the crew ran out of basic supplies such as toothpaste, deodorant and soap. Furthermore, mail delays have been so severe that some care packages disappeared from the system for months.

On another issue just as sensitive as the troops’ situation, it should be noted that a sailor reported seeing holes that have been wearing through the flight deck — one of the most critical areas of a military vessel, since aircraft with powerful engines can burn sailors and fling them overboard. One officer noted that “the rotating propellers can cause accidents, while the constant loading and unloading of bombs, missiles and rockets poses a risk of explosions and fires.”

All of this has led to a decline in morale and, consequently, in the troops’ fighting spirit — especially since the Lincoln’s crew has had only two days off the ship since it set sail last November from its home port in San Diego. It is worth noting that this is because the port where this type of vessel used to stop for the troops to rest was the Jufair naval facility in Bahrain — the base of the U.S. Fifth Fleet — where much of its logistics center was located, now destroyed by Iranian missiles. In the past, these shipments transited through the Strait of Hormuz, which is now impossible without risking Iranian attacks.

‘Increased risk of suicide’

Democrat Sara Jacobs, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, warned about the exhaustion and mental health of the Marines on board, “because history has shown that this can have serious consequences, including an increased risk of suicide.” In this context, retired Admiral Mike Mullen, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. Armed Forces, explained that U.S. bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates — typically used for crew rest — were rendered unusable following the Iranian attacks. He said, “Those places where we normally went to rest and relax [are now] unusable.” Several senators and family members of sailors have raised the alarm about the deteriorating mental health of the crew.

Under these conditions, family members reported that several sailors had attempted to jump overboard due to extreme stress, 12- to 16-hour work shifts and watch duties and physical exhaustion.

But the problems are not unique to the Lincoln; investigative journalist Seth Harp published photographs of the interior of the aircraft carrier George Washington that also show mold and deteriorated facilities, even though the ship recently completed a comprehensive overhaul that was six years overdue.

According to Harp, this situation stems from the fact that the U.S. Navy has only “one shipyard capable of refueling and repairing a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.”

Following the reports regarding the situation on the Lincoln, new testimonies began to emerge from people close to service members deployed on other ships and even on shore. These individuals claim to have received direct messages from family members and service members familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity and stated that what is being said about the Lincoln is absolutely true, adding that they — on other naval units — are also facing difficulties, though not yet to the same extent. They noted that they have been deployed for five to six months and have not seen land since the start of the conflict with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

A message from another aircraft carrier, the USS George H.W. Bush, reports on the complaint of a female sailor assigned to that ship, who temporarily returned to the United States and bluntly stated: “Morale is low and everyone is miserable. It’s heartbreaking.” (RT, Aug. 11)

The complaints are not limited to the ships. According to the mother of a service member deployed to Kuwait, her son’s mental health has seriously deteriorated. The woman revealed that her son was in Kuwait suffering from extreme health problems, adding that he said he felt “tired, hungry and scared.”

Another account, from the wife of a sailor currently on the Lincoln, stated that her husband told her they “desperately need more people to speak out about what is happening,” because when sailors ask their superiors for information, they are told not to worry about the news and to “just focus on today.”

The woman added that the crew is exhausted, with no days off and sleeping only a few hours at a time. She also noted that her husband expressed strong concern about the leadership on board, stating: “They don’t care about their people.” She added that even sailors with more than 20 years of experience consider this to be the worst deployment they have ever experienced.

The situation reached such a point that several lawmakers exerted enough pressure to force the Navy High Command to send the aircraft carrier George Washington to the region to relieve and replace the Lincoln following its prolonged mission.

It is worth noting that this relief operation was carried out in the typical U.S. style. That is, instead of traveling directly to its base in San Diego, California, the Navy High Command decided that the ship should make a stopover in Pattaya, Thailand. This small Thai city of about 300,000 inhabitants — 120,000 of whom are registered — was, until 1961, a quiet fishing village, but in April of that year it was virtually occupied by the “glorious” U.S. Navy, which was participating in the Vietnam War, and was meant to be used as a massive collective brothel for its devoted sailors and officers.

Part II and Conclusion – infrastructure and equipment

Last week [above] we discussed two factors that highlight the strategic decline of the U.S. Armed Forces. Now, we will address the remaining two: infrastructure and equipment.

Regarding infrastructure, an inspection conducted by the Pentagon’s Office of the Inspector General noted that several U.S. military installations in the Pacific Theater of Operations exhibit “severe deterioration,” damage to both infrastructure related to operations and facilities intended for service members and their families. One officer noted that “the rotating propellers can cause accidents, while the constant loading and unloading of bombs, missiles and rockets poses a risk of explosions and fires.”

After examining 11 U.S. facilities in the region, they detected “buildings with corrosion and holes, collapsing roofs, water leaks, cracks and the presence of mold, lead and asbestos” — all of which was reported to the Secretary of War on Aug. 6. One of the facilities inspected is Kadena Air Base in Japan, a key hub of U.S. air power in the Pacific that stores ammunition valued at $836 million. The report graphically illustrates several holes in the wall of a hangar that leave stored items exposed to the outdoors, while another facility appears rusted and corroded. Similarly, Yokota Air Base and Camp Courtney Marine Corps Base, also in Japan, exhibit similar problems.

At Kadena, where some 20,000 U.S. citizens reside, at least 243 homes had to be evacuated due to structural failures, while another 139 were affected by roof collapses, according to the document.

In general, deficiencies were observed in operations and communications infrastructure, in addition to damage from fires, moisture and building materials containing lead and asbestos. The “severe deterioration” was attributed to several factors, the main ones being that numerous buildings date back to the 1970s, the region’s environmental conditions — including earthquakes and tsunamis — and a shortage of personnel and funding. The inspection also found deficiencies in water infrastructure and housing, which are considered essential for supporting personnel deployed in the region.

On another front, a Pentagon report released on Monday, Sept. 14, acknowledges that Iran destroyed hundreds of buildings at U.S. bases in Western Asia. For the first time, the U.S. administration admits that Iranian attacks damaged and destroyed hundreds of facilities at its bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Jordan.

Fifth Fleet base destroyed

A particularly damaging blow to the structure of U.S. dominance in the region is the near-total destruction of the Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain, which served as the U.S. Navy’s logistics hub. Secretary of War Hegseth had to admit before the U.S. Congress that the war had cost $37.5 billion as of the end of June and that damage to facilities in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates caused by Iranian attacks alone was estimated at approximately $184 million.

As for the other aspect — equipment — it has been made public that weapons reserves have been depleted, due in particular to the aggression launched by Washington against Iran. The British news agency Reuters has reported that the United States has depleted “virtually all” of its reserves of long-range precision missiles during the already protracted conflict with Iran. This means that a large portion of its stockpile of ground-to-ground weapons — particularly Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) — has been depleted. It is worth noting that each unit costs over $1 million.

Meanwhile, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank based in Washington, D.C., reported in late July that the United States used so many air defense systems in the war against Iran that its stockpile of Patriot interceptors now stands at fewer than 1,000 units (approximately 759–827), while the number of missiles for its THAAD systems is around 250. Before the conflict, there were approximately 2,330 Patriot missiles and 452 THAAD interceptors in reserve, meaning that more than half of each would have been used.

In this context, the statements by the deputy commander of U.S. Northern Command, Joseph Jarrard, also are noteworthy; he pointed out that his country lacks the detection capabilities and necessary weaponry to counter a swarm of drones. At a Symposium on Space and Missile Defense in Alabama, this Army lieutenant general was explicit in acknowledging that the United States lacks sensors, adding, “Depending on where that swarm is going to attack, it will depend on whether we have any sensors and also on whether we have any tools to address that problem.”

According to Jarrard, the United States must figure out how to mitigate the threat posed by a swarm of pilotless aerial systems, but for now, “We haven’t gotten there yet,” he noted. Furthermore, drone detection in particular is “the biggest problem” and “one of our biggest concerns right now,” he added. He was emphatic in concluding, “We are ill-equipped at this time to handle something like that.”

Delving deeper into the matter, it was revealed that the U.S. Army has lost at least 50 MQ-9 Reaper drones — representing 25% of its fleet — during its war against Iran. According to the report, the losses involve drones used for surveillance and targeted strikes, each of which can cost between $30 million and $50 million, depending on their equipment. Consequently, in this category alone, U.S. losses amounted to approximately $1.5 billion without any tangible results from their use — a sum taxpayers were compelled to pay.

These drones have been used extensively in the Strait of Hormuz. However, their relatively low speed and frequent low-altitude operations make them vulnerable to attacks by the Iranian military, as well as by the Resistance in Yemen and Iraq. According to an anonymous official quoted by the New York-based Wall Street Journal, “Not all of the lost Reapers were shot down, as an unknown number crashed after their operators lost communication with the drones.”

In the case of the Navy, the situation is dire. It has been reported that it is operating 300 ships, to the point that Trump was forced to sign a memorandum on Aug. 13 allowing foreign firms to build ships if they invest in U.S. shipyards, with the requirement that they use “proven, reliable and affordable” technologies, as opposed to what he describes as “excessively complex designs.”

The aforementioned Pentagon report released this week acknowledges that there is a severe shortage of ammunition following the war against Iran — something the Trump administration had until now refused to confirm. Ammunition consumption during this conflict caused a shortage in strategic reserves and revealed obstacles that hinder their replenishment.

Thus, it is clear that the U.S. Armed Forces will continue to have the capacity to launch attacks from a distance — bomb schools, murder children, raid weddings, kidnap presidents and kill civilians. They can also unleash a thermonuclear war at any moment if they decide it is preferable for all life on the planet to disappear rather than admit the defeat of capitalism, the West and themselves — but they have absolutely no capacity for a strategic confrontation against China, Russia or Iran, much less if these three military powers decide to unite to save humanity from Western civilizational barbarism.

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