Trump addresses troops after Hegseth says they have been ‘liberated’ from DEI: Live

Sounding a little sleepy and, frankly, medicated, the president refers to nuclear warfare as the “N-word.”

“There are two N-words, you can’t use either of them,” he tells his silent audience.

He brags about the lethality of America’s nuclear arsenal while saying we have to hope it’s never called upon.

The great dealmaker appears to be working overtime to alienate the opposition, whose support Republicans will ultimately need on Capitol Hill, on today of all days.

Trump opens his speech to the nation’s highest-ranking officers and their enlisted advisers by laying into the Associated Press and bragging about having won a court fight to prevent the country’s oldest newswire service from covering him aboard Air Force One and in the Oval Office because it would not go along with his order to call the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.”

After being introduced by Hegseth, the president takes to the lectern as “Hail to the Chief” plays.

“I’ve never walked into a room so sour before,” Trump remarks, only half-joking.

Phew! While we catch our breath, here’s a look at some more “highlights” from Hegseth’s address just now, which he compared to Trump’s “Liberation Day’ tariffs announcement on April 2, which, you may recall, was a disaster that had to be reversed a week later.

Here are are some key moments for his declaration of war against wokery in the military:

Hegseth leaves the stage, with no applause audible.

We’re off the deep end here.

The secretary’s appeal for a more “back to basics” approach to the military includes fewer meetings and testing and more time instilling discipline in recruits through scare tactics and hazing.

That was the secretary’s justification for firing so many military leaders just now, challenging others to follow them out of the door if they disagree with his statements on stage.

Hegseth is currently railing against the “Woke Department” for becoming too bureaucratic and sensitive.