Hegseth social media post mocking Canadian cadets draws criticism

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced widespread criticism on Tuesday after posting a social media message that mocked female members of Canada's youth cadet program. The post, made on Monday evening, targeted an image of a female instructor and a young cadet during an awards ceremony, drawing swift condemnation from Canadian officials, veterans, and former U.S. lawmakers. Hegseth shared a screenshot from the Instagram account of the Vernon Cadet Training Centre in British Columbia. The photo depicted a female officer from the Cadet Instructors Cadre presenting a medal to a young girl in a Canadian army cadet uniform.