Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced backlash after sharing an X (formerly known as Twitter) post that appeared to mock a female Canadian cadet instructor. Hegseth’s post seemed to take aim at her weight. The post landed as the Pentagon faces mounting turmoil, with Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigning the same day following months of internal feuding.
Pete Hegseth faces backlash after commenting on a woman
Pete Hegseth reposted a photo originally published by the Vernon Cadet Training Center in British Columbia. It showed a smiling instructor receiving a medal on the final day of training at the facility, which teaches leadership and drill skills to cadets aged 12 to 18 under Canada’s Department of National Defense.
“Wow. The Secretary of Defence is body shaming cadet groups. A youth group,” wrote one Canadian veteran. “This is not a military unit. They are kids looking for adventure, test themselves and align themselves with the values of service.” Another user questioned Hegseth’s priorities amid ongoing military operations: “One big question I have is: why is Pete scrolling through images of young cadets instead of ‘winning’ the Special Military Operation in Iran?”
Critics also noted that Hegseth appeared to overlook the account’s handle identifying the photo’s origin. “You apparently missed the ‘cadet.vernon’ part. This is basically a summer camp program for middle and high school kids,” one commenter wrote. Additionally, Hegseth has previously drawn scrutiny for his comments on women in combat roles.
The Vernon Cadet Training Center relies heavily on volunteer instructors. A spokesperson for Canada’s Department of National Defense told The Daily Beast, “We are proud of the professionalism and contributions of all our dedicated Canadian Armed Forces members,” adding that the program aims to develop “leadership skills, knowledge, and self-confidence in a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment.”
Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Jacob Bliss offered a terse response when asked about the post: “The X post speaks for itself.” Additionally, the controversy comes as President Donald Trump escalates his trade feud with Canada and recently signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America.”
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on Mandatory.
