Public disputes concerning weight, physical appearance, body standards, body shaming, and appearance-based treatment or commentary.
Published coverage on this page: 2 cases · 13 statements. Statements are ordered newest first.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked Army commanders to nominate troops meeting strict waist-to-height, fitness, and 'impeccable grooming' standards to attend his September 30 speech. The Pentagon declined to comment; commentators mocked the criteria as vain and substance-free.
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Labels describe a response to the linked claim or the action explained in the statement summary. Choose one or more.
13 matching statements
Role at the time: Secretary of War, delivering State of the Force address
Statement summary
Pete Hegseth defended requirements to get in shape, shave and fix uniforms as leadership rather than discrimination.
“Telling someone to get in shape, or shave, or fix their uniform, or start busting their ass - that's not discrimination. That's leadership.”
What this label refers to
He defends enforcing fitness and grooming standards as leadership.
Role at the time: Policy Options contributor and parent of cadet-program participants, writing in his own capacity
Response to this claim
Hegseth’s post mocked or invited mockery of the appearance and achievements of people shown in the Canadian cadet-program image.
“an obvious invitation to mock the women’s appearance.”
The commentary directly condemns Hegseth's post. Its criticism of Canadian policy does not soften that condemnation or amount to a defense of Hegseth.
Role at the time: Writer, The Bulwark
Statement summary
Jonathan V. Last called Hegseth "a cretin" for mocking an American ally with his 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.”
What this label refers to
Last directly calls Hegseth "a cretin" and says the post mocks "an American ally," an express condemnation.
Role at the time: Actor speaking at the Venice Film Festival
Response to this claim
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.”
The remarks clearly condemn Hegseth’s post on moral and professional grounds.
Role at the time: United States representative and retired Air Force brigadier general
Response to this claim
Hegseth’s post mocked or invited mockery of the appearance and achievements of people shown in the Canadian cadet-program image.
“It's lowbrow. I think it's unprofessional… demeaning and uncalled for.”
The statement is an explicit condemnation from a U.S. lawmaker in Hegseth’s own party.
Role at the time: Democratic nominee for Congress in Missouri's 2nd district and Army combat veteran, replying on X
Statement summary
Fred Wellman, an Army combat veteran and the Democratic nominee in Missouri's 2nd congressional district, replied to Hegseth's post that he was "mocking kids" in "a junior cadet program" and called him "a pathetic small man."
“You’re mocking kids. This is a junior cadet program. What a pathetic small man you are.”
What this label refers to
The reference point is Hegseth's "this is real" post about the Vernon cadet image. Wellman reads the post as mockery of children in a youth program and attacks Hegseth for it. That is an express criticism of the conduct, so we labeled it Condemned. Challenged the characterization loses because, beyond noting that the subjects were cadets, he condemns the post as mocking them. Evidence level: the speaker's own reply on X, also quoted by The New Republic.
Role at the time: Former director of policy to Canada's minister of national defence and former Canadian Armed Forces reserve officer, in an interview with the Toronto Sun
Statement summary
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”
What this label refers to
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.
Role at the time: Chief of the Defence Staff, Canadian Armed Forces
Statement summary
Canada's Chief of the Defence Staff, Gen. Jennie Carignan, told CBC News that the cadet and instructor shown in Hegseth's post are receiving support and that she has "a lot of pride" in what the Canadian Armed Forces do, without directly addressing Hegseth's post. She said the controversy was "a topic for later."
“a lot of pride”
What this label refers to
Carignan expresses support for the affected cadets and pride in Canadian Armed Forces personnel without directly condemning Hegseth by name, a measured institutional response rather than a direct rebuke.
Role at the time: Member of Parliament for Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee
Statement summary
Conservative MP Scott Anderson, whose riding includes the mocked cadets, condemned Hegseth's post as "a cheap shot at women and children," saying Hegseth "should be ashamed."
“You should be ashamed ... You took a cheap shot at women and children in my riding.”
What this label refers to
Anderson directly condemns Hegseth's post as a 'cheap shot' targeting constituents in his own riding, saying Hegseth should be ashamed.
Role at the time: Cadet-support organization
Response to this claim
Hegseth’s post mocked or invited mockery of the appearance and achievements of people shown in the Canadian cadet-program image.
“We strongly condemn any online harassment, or mockery of cadets' achievements.”
The organization’s statement expressly condemns the interpretation of the post as mockery.
Role at the time: Premier of British Columbia
Response to this claim
Hegseth’s post mocked or invited mockery of the appearance and achievements of people shown in the Canadian cadet-program image.
“What an embarrassment.”
The statement is a direct condemnation of Hegseth and the perceived target of the post.
Role at the time: Canadian minister of national defence
Response to this claim
Hegseth’s post mocked or invited mockery of the appearance and achievements of people shown in the Canadian cadet-program image.
“Below the dignity of the office he holds.”
The statement unambiguously condemns the post as inappropriate for Hegseth’s office.
Role at the time: Prime Minister of Canada
Response to this claim
Hegseth’s post mocked or invited mockery of the appearance and achievements of people shown in the Canadian cadet-program image.
“Beneath their office.”
The remark directly condemns the appropriateness of the post from a cabinet official.
United States secretary of defense and former television host.
2 cases and 1 statement
Michael Gendron works in policy and communications for the Canadian Police Association and contributes commentary to Policy Options. His writing on Canada's Cadet Program draws on his experience as the parent of three participants. He also is a curling club president.
1 case and 1 statement
Editor and political commentator at The Bulwark.
1 case and 1 statement
United States representative from Nebraska and retired Air Force brigadier general.
1 case and 1 statement
American actor, filmmaker, and political activist.
1 case and 1 statement
Democratic candidate for U.S. House in Missouri's 2nd district.
1 case and 1 statement
Joe Varner is a Canadian defence and security analyst and a former reserve officer in the Canadian Armed Forces. He was director of policy to Peter MacKay as minister of national defence and later as minister of justice and attorney general, and has been a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, deputy director of the Conference of Defence Associations and an adjunct scholar at West Point's Modern War Institute. He is the author of Canada's Asia-Pacific Security Dilemma.
1 case and 1 statement
Chief of the Defence Staff, Canadian Armed Forces (since July 2024).
1 case and 1 statement
Member of Parliament for Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee, Conservative Party of Canada; Army veteran and National Defence committee member.
1 case and 1 statement
Premier of British Columbia.
1 case and 1 statement
Canadian politician serving as minister of national defence.
1 case and 1 statement
Prime minister of Canada.
1 case and 1 statement
