Pete Hegseth criticized for body-shaming Canadian cadet program members
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing backlash for a social media post mocking Canadian youth cadets, which has exacerbated existing trade tensions between the two nations. Canadian officials have condemned the post as unprofessional and a distraction from serious diplomatic discussions.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the deteriorating diplomatic relationship between the US and Canada under the current administration's trade-focused foreign policy.
Pete Hegseth attends a ceremony at the Pentagon in Washington DC, on 27 July 2026./Getty Images Pete Hegseth attends a ceremony at the Pentagon in Washington DC, on 27 July 2026./Getty Images Pete Hegseth Pete Hegseth criticized for body-shaming Canadian cadet program members US defense secretary faced backlash for attempting to mock Canada’s armed forces amid trade war
Prefer the Guardian on Google A social media post by Pete Hegseth , the US secretary of defense, body-shaming female members of a Canadian youth development program remained online on Wednesday despite a furious backlash on both sides of the border.
On Monday night Hegseth posted on X a photograph of two people in uniform with a Canadian flag and the caption “this is real”, an apparent attempt at mocking the country’s armed forces amid the Trump administration’s trade spat with its northern neighbor.
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