The Pentagon has expressed support for a social media post made by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that featured a Canadian cadet program. Hegseth shared an image from the Cadet Training Centre in Vernon, B.C., showing two young women in uniform with the caption “this is real” alongside a Canadian flag.
The post received significant criticism online, with some arguing that it was unjust to criticize the youth program while disparaging both the Canadian Armed Forces and the appearance of female cadets. Pentagon deputy press secretary Jacob Bliss responded to the backlash by stating that “the post speaks for itself.”
This incident occurred against the backdrop of escalating tensions between Canada and the United States following the breakdown of trade negotiations last month. In response to questions about Hegseth’s post, Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada described the message as “beneath their office” and emphasized the need for serious discussions rather than the use of memes and aggressive tactics. Carney expressed the view that such behavior was not conducive to productive dialogue but acknowledged it as part of the democratic process.