An article published by BuzzFeed on Wednesday titled "MAGA Has A 'Masculinity Theater' Problem" characterizes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's new workout video as an example of "peak MAGA masculinity theater." The piece was written by HuffPost contributor Katherine Speller.
According to the author, the men featured in the videos represent the government and the nation. She further stated that they represent Trump's ideal in particular, specifically citing right-wing ideals regarding manhood and masculinity.
The article notes that Hegseth is a Cabinet member whose social accounts under "Department of War" released a series of workout videos on Wednesday featuring him performing training exercises with military members described as "warriors." The specific location for these recent videos was identified as Guantanamo Bay.
One video reportedly featured shots of Hegseth and other men running, jumping, and lifting weights accompanied by grunts. Another video reportedly showed Hegseth giving a locker room tour or similar activity before the text in the source cuts off at "locker r."