World News
Pete Hegseth faces criticism over social media post targeting Canadian cadet program
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth drew condemnation from Canadian leaders and US lawmakers after sharing an image mocking participants in a youth summer program.
The short version
- US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted an image on X ridiculing uniformed participants in a Canadian youth cadet camp.
- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and US lawmakers condemned the post as disrespectful, while the Army Cadet League of Canada called it harassment.
- The Pentagon defended Hegseth's post, stating that it 'speaks for itself.'
- The controversy unfolds alongside broader US-Canada trade tensions and recent leadership turnover within the US military.
Key facts
- Pete Hegseth shared a photo from British Columbia's Vernon Cadet Training Centre on X with the caption 'this is real', targeting the physical appearance of individuals in uniform.[The Guardian]
- The subjects in the photograph were participants in a youth development program rather than front-line armed forces members, depicting a teenage cadet and an instructor.[The Guardian]
- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney criticized the remarks as 'beneath the office' of defense secretary and urged US officials to approach trade discussions seriously rather than using memes.[The Guardian]
- Pentagon deputy press secretary Jacob Bliss defended the post, stating that it 'speaks for itself.'[The Guardian]
- The controversy occurs amid broader pressure on Hegseth following the resignation of US Army Chief Dan Driscoll after reported internal leadership clashes.[The Guardian]
Sources
- Pete Hegseth criticized for body-shaming Canadian cadet program membersThe Guardian - World