Hegseth Posts Vile Attack on Woman as Pentagon Collapses Around Him

Yves Herman / REUTERS Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been called out for a vile social media post apparently mocking a Canadian youth cadet instructor for being overweight.

Hegseth has been burnishing his Christian credentials for a possible presidential run in 2028 despite the Pentagon hemorrhaging top brass under his command as he backs Donald Trump’s increasingly costly war on Iran.

The 46-year-old is also fixated on the physical appearance of the officers under his command, declaring last September that he no longer wants to see “fat generals and admirals” or overweight troops.

On Monday, Hegseth shared a photo with his two million X followers originally posted by the Vernon Cadet Training Center , in British Columbia.

It shows a smiling cadet being presented with a medal on the final day of training.

The Canadian facility teaches cadets aged 12 to 18 military-style leadership and drills and is operated under the Department of National Defense.

Its instructors are largely volunteers.

Hegseth picked one photo from the original carousel of 10, added a Canadian flag and wrote, “(this is real).” His post attracted a flood of criticism, with one Canadian veteran writing , “Wow.

The Secretary of Defence is body shaming cadet groups.

A youth group.

This is not a military unit.

They are kids looking for adventure, test themselves and align themselves with the values of service.” Another asked what point Hegseth was trying to make by sharing the picture.

“You’re the Secretary of Defense, and our country is currently engaged in a war,” they wrote .

“Why are you posting what appears to be some sort of insulting tweet about teenagers in Canada?” “Hegseth... is rage-posting about Canadian teenagers in a cadet program,” another post read.