Pentagon defends Hegseth's controversial post about Canadian cadet program

The Pentagon is standing behind a controversial social media post by U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about a Canadian cadet program as the Trump administration continues to denigrate Canada's armed forces.

Hegesth on Monday posted an image from the Cadet Training Centre in Vernon, B.C., depicting two young women in uniform with the caption "this is real" alongside a Canadian flag.

The online response to Hegseth's post was filled with remarks belittling the physical appearance of the cadets but it also triggered massive backlash from Canadians.

Some people posted that it was unfair for Hegseth to target the youth program in an attempt to disparage the Canadian Armed Forces and others criticized the U.S. defence secretary of body shaming women serving in the cadet program. 

Asked about the backlash Tuesday, Pentagon deputy press secretary Jacob Bliss said "the X post speaks for itself."

Carney told reporters in Ottawa Tuesday that comments from Trump administration officials maligning Canada's military were "beneath their office."

The post comes amid increased tensions between Canada and the United States after trade talks broke down last month. 

The Trump administration hit Canada with 50 per cent tariffs on an array of goods in August, with both countries blaming the other for adding last-minute changes during negotiations. 

Canada is set to implement it's retaliatory duties next week.

Trump has spent the weeks since talks were frozen incessantly targeting Canada in his public remarks and social media posts, calling the country the worst to deal with. Last week he signed an executive order to change the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America" in his latest effort to agitate America's northern neighbour.

Many in Trump's team have turned their insults to Canada's military. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday told CNBC the U.S. isn't at war with Canada.

"What are they going to do, take their two submarines from the Edmonton mall and sic them on us?" Bessent said.

The week prior, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy claimed on Fox News that Canada "doesn't have a military."

It's not clear how exactly the cadet training program's Instagram account — which had 1,821 followers as of Tuesday morning — came onto Hegseth's radar. Bliss, who works in the office of the assistant to the secretary of war for public affairs, did not respond to questions about how the defence secretary became aware of it.

Conservative MP Garnett Genuis responded to Hegseth's post on Monday saying "cadets do great work, and are not members of the military." He added "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," Genuis said. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 1, 2026. 

By Kelly Geraldine Malone | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.