It was supposed to be a rousing warm-up for Trump’s big moment. Instead, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth delivered a 10-minute speech that will likely go down as one of the most painfully awkward addresses ever given to U.S. service members.
Speaking aboard the USS George Washington at Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan on Tuesday, Hegseth walked out to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” — a choice that immediately raised eyebrows, since the band has previously ordered his agency not to use their music. The atmosphere only went downhill from there.
“It is a long flight to get out here,” Hegseth began, tossing out what seemed like a safe icebreaker. The crowd offered a polite, scattered chuckle — the kind you give when you feel sorry for the guy onstage.
He got a bigger reaction when he threw on a Navy cap, but quickly lost the room again when he channeled his inner Trump. “Beautiful looking men and women,” he gushed, trying to hype them up for the president’s arrival. “In a moment, you’re going to see our commander in chief, who I know is thrilled to see all of you.”
He paused, clearly waiting for applause. Only one lonely “woo” cut through the silence. Hegseth, looking visibly uncomfortable, stuttered through the next few lines.
From there, things only got more cringe. He tried to ground the moment in history — “They were willing to pick up… then it was a musket, they didn’t quite have aircraft carriers” — but the line fell flat. The silence was deafening.
A weak jab at the press earned him his first real laugh of the day. “When I look out at your eyes, all those eyes way back there past… the press…” he said, pausing for effect. “Just get them out of the way.” The joke finally landed, drawing a decent round of laughter — perhaps out of relief that something had worked.
Sensing momentum, Hegseth shifted into Trump-style rhetoric. He praised Trump for reminding “our adversaries” that “we’re going to put America first.” When he asked, “How about that?” the crowd responded with a modest cheer. But then came the line that made the room collectively tense up.
Talking about “peace through strength,” Hegseth joked, “I would not want to be in a drug boat in the Caribbean right now.” What followed wasn’t laughter — it was gasps. Cameras caught several Navy personnel behind him exchanging uncomfortable looks, with a few visibly cringing.
He briefly recovered when he announced, “Welcome to the War Department,” a line that got loud cheers. But then he managed to undercut himself again, this time by roasting his teenage son.
“I see eyes that look a lot like my oldest son, who’s 15. And let me tell you, if he made the same decision that you did at that age, man, I’d be proud,” he said. Then came the punchline that made everyone wince. “I don’t know if he ever will, I don’t know if he has the guts to do it. Maybe, don’t tell him. I think he does.”
For Hegseth, this wasn’t the first time his attempt to “talk like the troops” went sideways. Just last month at Marine Corps Base Quantico, he told top generals, “To our enemies, FAFO. If necessary, our troops can translate that for you.” (For the record, “FAFO” stands for “F–k around and find out.”)
Even Trump couldn’t help but notice the awkward atmosphere. Taking the stage after Hegseth, he quipped, “I’ve never walked into a room so silent before.”
Watch the full speech below:
