President Donald Trump begged top military brass Tuesday to clap for him as he unleashed a radical far-right tirade about using the armed forces against American citizens.

“I’ve never walked into a room so silent before,” Trump said. “This is very inter— don’t laugh, don’t laugh. You’re not allowed to do that. You know what, just have a good time. And if you want to applaud, you applaud.

“And if you don’t like what I’m saying, you can leave the room. Of course there goes your rank, there goes your future,” Trump added, as some laughter rippled throughout the room.

Trump to a room of generals: "I've never walked into a room so silent before. Just have a good time. And if you want to applaud, you applaud." pic.twitter.com/9AQrAIII8u

Despite the president’s pathetic plea, the U.S. military officials assembled by War Secretary Pete Hegseth to bear witness to this diatribe mostly sat in silence throughout the president’s remarks, in keeping with the military’s tradition of nonpartisanship, according to The Washington Post.

Top military leaders sat quietly while the president touted the creation of a quick-reaction force to use against protesters and ranted that America was “under invasion from within.”

“We’re under invasion from within. No different than a foreign enemy, but more difficult in many ways because they don’t wear uniforms. At least when they’re wearing a uniform you can take them out,” Trump rambled.

House Democrats decried Republican leadership at a Tuesday protest against Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to keep the body out of session as a government shutdown looms.

Democratic lawmakers decided to show up en masse to a pro forma session of the House on Tuesday—which are typically brief with no business conducted—to display their dissatisfaction with their colleagues across the aisle.

Johnson had canceled votes on Monday and Tuesday, despite a shutdown deadline of midnight, in hopes of pressuring Senate Democrats into acceding to a Republican stopgap funding measure.

The move also postpones the swearing-in of Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva, who is poised to provide the deciding signature on a petition that forces a floor vote on the release of the Epstein files. (Notably, Johnson has previously sworn in special election winners during pro forma sessions, but has opted not to do so with Grijalva.)

House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro called the cancellations “shameful,” saying, “Speaker Johnson is silencing members and shutting down the House in advance of a government-wide shutdown.”

The Democrats used Tuesday’s session to try to force a vote on their own alternative stopgap—which would, among other provisions, reverse health care cuts in Trump’s tax and spending plan—as well as to demand that Grijalva be sworn in.

Many predicted the meeting to be quickly adjourned, with one House Democrat telling Axios, “You’re going to see that gavel go faster than the speed of light.”

And indeed, presiding Republican Representative Morgan Griffith, faced by a House floor packed with dozens of Democrats and few Republicans in sight, hastened to end the session, ignoring several shouts of “Speaker!” as Democrats sought to be recognized so DeLauro could introduce their funding measure.

As Griffith gaveled out, he was showered with objections. “Swear her in!” some members reportedly began to chant, referring to Grijalva. “Shame on you!” said others. “Do your job!”

According to CNN, some held signs depicting Johnson’s face, which read “missing person.”

.@HouseDemocrats attempt to be recognized during U.S. House: Pro Forma Session. pic.twitter.com/lumAOWv8dC

On Monday, career military officials expressed serious unease regarding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s sweeping overhaul of the Pentagon’s priorities. On Tuesday, Hegseth validated all of those fears at his military summit in Virginia.

The Washington Post reported that Hegseth’s shirking of longtime U.S. allies has alienated longtime Pentagon seniors, as Hegseth moves to pull resources from Ukraine and Europe while Russia continues to attack. Hegseth is also apparently prioritizing domestic threats from “the enemy within” rather than focusing on deterring China like senior officials would prefer.

Even Trump loyalist General Dan “Razin” Caine has voiced his displeasure with some of Hegseth’s decisions, particularly his rollout of Trump’s “America First, Peace Through Strength” National Defense Strategy. The initial draft for the strategy was met with widespread disapproval, which is rare.

“He gave Hegseth very frank feedback,” an anonymous source

© New Republic