Calling top military leaders to Quantico for a political speech was a "waste of time," former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said Wednesday at Axios' Future of Defense Summit.
Why it matters: President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth would have been better served using that gathering of top generals and admirals to prepare for 21st Century threats, Panetta said.
- Instead, Panetta told Axios' Colin Demarest that military leaders were treated to a "recruiting speech" and complaints about "cultural issues."
- "Hell no," Panetta responded when asked if he would have called that meeting.
Zoom out: Panetta served as the 23rd defense secretary from July 2011 to February 2013 under former President Obama.
- He previously served as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Context: Panetta lifted the military's ban on women in combat in 2013. Hegseth has disparaged women in the military.
- In September, Panetta reacted to Trump's renaming of the Defense Department to the War Department: "A name change has nothing to do with the strength of our military."
Go deeper: Watch: Axios Future of Defense Summit
