Donald Trump’s recent speech to military leaders has sparked outrage, with critics calling it a serious breach of tradition. Speaking at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Trump praised the National Guard but also made controversial remarks about crime, immigration, and nuclear power. At one point, he described America as being “at war from within.”

The comments drew silence from the room and sharp rebukes afterward. Retired Major General William Enyart said, “The words Trump used — ‘enemy from within’ — are Hitler-esque. That is not constitutional speech.” Another veteran, Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, argued Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth violated an unwritten rule of military discipline: “You praise in public and you discipline in private.”

Hegseth went further, attacking what he called “woke” practices in the armed forces, dismissing diversity programs, climate initiatives, and even female participation in combat. His harsh words, veterans warned, could divide soldiers and undermine trust in leadership.

The uproar raises a larger question: should political leaders scold the military in public, or protect its unity behind closed doors?