Pentagon defends Hegseth’s controversial post about Canadian cadet program

The Pentagon has defended a controversial social media post made by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth regarding a Canadian cadet program. On Monday, Hegseth shared an image from the Cadet Training Centre in Vernon, British Columbia, featuring two young women in uniform with the caption "this is real" alongside a Canadian flag. Since the post's publication, it has generated significant backlash, with critics arguing that it unfairly targets the youth program in an attempt to disparage both the Canadian Armed Forces and the women serving in the cadet program.

Pentagon deputy press secretary Jacob Bliss, when questioned about the backlash today, stated that "the X post speaks for itself." Prime Minister Mark Carney, when asked about the post from Hegseth in Ottawa, said the message was "beneath their office." The post comes amid heightened tensions between Canada and the United States following the breakdown of trade talks last month.