Former defence policy director Joe Varner calls Hegseth's cadet post petty
Joe VarnerFormer director of policy to Canada's minister of national defence and former Canadian Armed Forces reserve officer, in an interview with the Toronto Sun
Joe Varner, a former policy director to Canadian defence minister Peter MacKay, told the Toronto Sun that Hegseth's post was "a petty tweet by a man that typically doesn't like women in uniform" and said that 68% of the U.S. military "are considered to be overweight or obese."
“It was a petty tweet by a man that typically doesn't like women in uniform”
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
Toronto Sun report, syndicated on Yahoo News Canada, on reaction to Hegseth's post about the Vernon cadet program. Varner's remarks were given in an interview with the Toronto Sun. The report also quotes Garnett Genuis and Ron Filipkowski.
Before the quotation
On September 1, 2026, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted an image from the Vernon Cadet Training Centre in British Columbia showing an instructor presenting a cadet with an award, with a Canadian flag and the caption "(this is real)." Varner was interviewed by the Toronto Sun for its report on the reaction.
After the quotation
Varner said cadet instructors are community volunteers who are not deployable or combat troops, said 68% of the U.S. military is considered overweight or obese, and said of the instructor, "God bless her for taking the time to work with Canadian youth."
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is Hegseth's "this is real" post about the Vernon cadet image. Varner calls the post petty, ties it to Hegseth's attitude toward women in uniform and praises the instructor shown. That is an express criticism of the post, so we labeled it Condemned. Challenged the characterization loses: his explanation that cadet instructors are community volunteers is offered to support the criticism, not as a standalone correction. Evidence level: a direct quotation in a Toronto Sun report of an interview with the speaker; no primary recording was available.
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- 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
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The Dispute Index. "Former defence policy director Joe Varner calls Hegseth's cadet post petty". First published: 2026-10-06. Last updated: 2026-10-06. https://disputeindex.com/events/4798-joe-varner-a-former-policy-director-to-canadian