U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth became the target of jokes and criticism on social media after taking part in a physical training session with sailors and Marines aboard the USS Boxer during a visit to Singapore.
Before the exercises, however, Hegseth decided to give a “motivational speech” to the troops. In his remarks, the secretary mentioned recent comments made by President Donald Trump about the conflict with Iran.
Hegseth recalled a statement in which Trump allegedly said Tehran could negotiate or “deal with my guy on the left,” pointing to him. He then told the service members that the real strength behind the message was not him, but the troops standing there.
The video of the speech quickly gained traction online. “The cringe level is off the charts,” wrote journalist Aaron Rupar. “These are America’s sons and daughters. The Trump administration is recklessly putting them in harm’s way,” lamented another internet user.
This is not the first time Hegseth has been publicly mocked. In April, he also drew attention after making references reminiscent of a famous monologue from the film Pulp Fiction during a service held at the Pentagon, sparking a wave of comments on social media.
Pete Hegseth tells U.S. Navy sailors aboard the USS Boxer to prepare for battle with Iran:
“The president said ‘Iran can either do it the right way, with a deal across the table, or they can deal with my guy on the left.’ That happened to be me. But it’s not me. It’s you guys!” pic.twitter.com/hdkAlQm3cp
— The American Conservative (@amconmag) May 29, 2026
Photo and video: X @amconmag. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
