Clooney asks where the sense of decency is
George ClooneyActor speaking at the Venice Film Festival
Clooney invoked decency and said he was ashamed of the post and the conduct it represented.
Responding to
Hegseth’s post mocked or invited mockery of the appearance and achievements of people shown in the Canadian cadet-program image.
“Where's the sense of decency in all of this? And I'm ashamed of all of that.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Did Pete Hegseth’s “this is real” post mock Canadian cadets?
On September 1, 2026, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reposted an image from the Vernon Cadet Training Centre showing a cadet receiving an award from an instructor, adding a Canadian flag and the words “this is real.” Canadian officials, a cadet organization, a Republican member of Congress, and George Clooney characterized the post as mocking, demeaning, or beneath the dignity of Hegseth’s office. The Pentagon stood by the post but did not specify what the caption meant.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
Reports Clooney's criticism of the post as part of a broader statement about cruelty and public conduct.
Before the quotation
The controversy had spread beyond Canadian politics after the Pentagon stood by the post.
After the quotation
Clooney’s remarks extended the criticism into entertainment and international media coverage.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The remarks clearly condemn Hegseth’s post on moral and professional grounds.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Pete Hegseth
More from this case
Read the full caseMichael Gendron says Hegseth's post invited mockery of women cadets
“an obvious invitation to mock the women’s appearance.”Read statement
Jonathan V. Last calls Hegseth "a cretin" over the Canadian cadets post
“The super butch secretary of WAR is making fun of an American ally... These are not Canadian soldiers. The Canadian Army is not a woke, Marxist polycule... So Pete Hegseth is a cretin.”Read statement
Former Canadian MP Charlie Angus says the Pentagon is "trolling Canadian teenagers who volunteer to serve our nation"
“I am not surprised that the Pentagon supports trolling Canadian teenagers who volunteer to serve our nation. We are proud of our cadets.”Read statement
Share or embed this statement
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the statement page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Clooney asks where the sense of decency is
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/399-clooney-invoked-decency-and-said-he-was-ashamed
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Clooney asks where the sense of decency is". First published: 2026-09-11. Last updated: 2026-09-25. https://disputeindex.com/events/399-clooney-invoked-decency-and-said-he-was-ashamed