Pentagon chief faces new turmoil over mocking cadet post

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted a photo of a Canadian cadet instructor presenting a medal. He captioned it "(this is real)". Critics said he was body shaming and mocking young cadets.

Why it mattersIt raises questions about judgment at the top of the Department of Defense. This happens during a time of leadership instability.

AustraliaNo direct Australian effect yet, but tension between the US Defense Secretary and Canada could affect regional military cooperation Australia depends on.

✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 h ago