Grunts might not always be smart, but they can smell BS a mile away.
At present, Obama has no authority. He isn’t the President, and he also has resigned as a US Senator.
His associates have already announced most of his proposed cabinet and entourage, and most of them are Clinton appointees, or anti-American socialists.
The Marines stationed in Hawaii also have had enough experience in Oahu to taste racism first hand from Hawaiians, and probably just don’t like being placed in an awkward situation on XMAS day when they aren’t at home but are on active duty.
Until he takes the oath of office, they have more rank than he does.
He occupies the "Office of the President-elect."
I hear it has its own official seal.
“They can smell BS a mile away.” Apparently they can also smell BO.