Kathrine Frich
The online remark quickly sparked intense anger from Canadian public figures.
High-ranking political officials are usually expected to maintain a certain level of diplomatic grace when speaking on the global stage.
Social media has changed those traditional rules over the last decade.
Now, a cabinet member is facing fierce backlash for taking aim at youth volunteers across the border.
A surprising target
The controversy centers around a recent online post from the embattled US defense secretary. Pete Hegseth used his platform on X on Monday to share an image from a youth summer program.
The picture featured what appeared to be an instructor and a cadet participating in a medal ceremony at the Vernon Cadet Training Centre in British Columbia.
According to HuffPost, the defense chief appeared to mock the woman’s weight. He simply added the caption, “(This is real)”.
When approached for comment by the news outlet on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the politician offered a brief reply. They stated, “The X post speaks for itself.”
Fierce political pushback
The online remark quickly sparked intense anger from Canadian public figures. They pointed out that the youth organization is completely separate from the actual armed forces.
Parliament member Garnett Genuis expressed his disgust on X. He wrote, “Cadets do great work, and are not members of the military.”
The politician also reminded the US official of their shared military history. Genuis noted, “158 members of the Canadian military gave their lives in Afghanistan after your country was attacked. Canada and the US have a great history of fighting together for freedom and justice. It’s history worth remembering.”
Canadian journalist Terry Reith also delivered a harsh public scolding. On X, he asked, “Am I seeing this right. Is the US secretary of defence trying to shame cadets in Vernon?”
Calls for an apology
The journalist continued his defense of the high school students. Reith added, “How dare you be such a complete idiot to imply this is our military, and shame on you for body shaming our young people. This is reprehensible.”
Another social media user named Kay Baba demanded the post be deleted. Baba wrote,
“You lead one of the most consequential offices in arguably the world’s only superpower, and this kind of mockery diminishes the dignity of that office.”
A measured official response
Canada’s Department of National Defence took a much calmer approach to the international incident. In an email statement to HuffPost, the agency explained that their program provides youth aged 12 to 18 with a safe and welcoming environment.
They praised the civilian instructors and volunteers who run the youth camps.
The department stated that these mentors help young people “build character, resilience, and teamwork, preparing them to lead with integrity, serve with purpose, and grow with honour.”
Sources: HuffPost, X, MeidasTouch, Canada’s Department of National Defence
