The American Military Officer After Liberalism

The foundational model of the American military officer as a politically neutral expert, as defined by Samuel P. Huntington, is being challenged as the liberal political order it serves faces growing strain. This model, which emphasizes objective control and separation from politics, is historically contingent and not a universal law. Subsequent theories suggest military professionalism is not static but adapts to the surrounding political culture and the nature of the state. As populist movements and declining trust erode liberal norms, the military profession may need to reckon with how it would adapt its ethos and legitimacy in a potential post-liberal America.