Event Brief
UPDATED Sep 3, 2026 at 1:26 AM ET
Sep 2, 2026 at 3:10 PM ET
Pete Hegseth criticized for mocking Canadian cadets
By The BriefBrief
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced backlash after a social media post body-shamed female members of a Canadian youth development program. The post, made on X, showed two people in uniform with a Canadian flag and the caption “this is real,” amid a trade dispute between the US and Canada.
WHO: Pete Hegseth
WHAT: Hegseth posted on X a photo captioned “this is real,” mocking Canadian armed forces and body-shaming Canadian cadets, drawing backlash.
WHEN: Reported Sep 1, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET
WHERE: USA
WHY: The backlash was triggered by Hegseth’s X post that mocked Canada’s armed forces and body-shamed female members of a Canadian youth development program.
Reporting from 3 identified publishers across this event arc.
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