Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's speech before a high-profile gathering of hundreds of the U.S. military’s top brass on Tuesday morning has spurred fear, head-scratching and praise.

Hegseth, over the course of roughly 45 minutes, rolled out 10 directives that seek to dismantle so-called “woke” efforts, raise fitness standards to eliminate "fat" troops and leaders, implement strict grooming standards and impose "male standards" on combat troops.

To those who don’t share his vision, the Pentagon chief’s message was simple: You can leave.

“The sooner we have the right people, the sooner we can advance the right policies … but if the words I’m speaking today are making your heart sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign,” he said.

Trump followed Hegseth on the stage, threatening to fire generals he didn't like and suggesting the military could use "dangerous" U.S. cities as a "training ground."

Democrat lawmakers swiftly criticized the event as an unnecessary gathering that set a dangerous precedent that threatens to undermine the Constitution.

Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Jack Reed (D-R.I.) called the meeting “an expensive, dangerous dereliction of leadership” by the Trump administration.

“While American forces confront real threats across the globe, Mr. Hegseth and President Trump chose to pull generals and admirals away from their missions to listen to hours of political grievances,” Reed said in a statement.

“Even more troubling was Mr. Hegseth’s ultimatum to America’s senior officers: conform to his political worldview or step aside. That demand is profoundly dangerous. It signals that partisan loyalty matters more than capability, judgment, or service to the Constitution, undermining the principle of a professional, nonpartisan military.”

Mark Cancian, the senior........

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