US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is in the spotlight after a video from a military event in South Carolina sparked a flood of reactions online.
The clip, now circulating widely on X, shows Hegseth wiping his nose, running his hand through his hair, and joking about sweating while addressing troops and officials at Joint Base Charleston, which was recently renamed Joint Base Lindsey Graham.
Why is Pete Hegseth's video going viral?
The incident took place on August 10 during his remarks on military readiness. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other officials also attended the event. Two distinct instances have been at the focus of the viral conversation.
One clip highlights Hegseth's joke about sweating due to his Norwegian heritage and his upbringing in Minnesota.
During his address to the audience, Hegseth joked about struggling with the heat, as he spoke outdoors in humid weather. He said, “By the way, I'm a Norwegian from Minnesota, so I sweat like a son of a b*tch. This is South Carolina in August,” Hegseth said, drawing laughter from the audience.”
{{/usCountry}}During his address to the audience, Hegseth joked about struggling with the heat, as he spoke outdoors in humid weather. He said, “By the way, I'm a Norwegian from Minnesota, so I sweat like a son of a b*tch. This is South Carolina in August,” Hegseth said, drawing laughter from the audience.”
{{/usCountry}}The other widely shared video zooms in on him wiping his nose. Hegseth stood beside Scott Bessent as he addressed the Charleston Air Force Base, seemingly distracted by the heat and sweat.
Hegseth is then seen swiftly doing the nose-wiping action and then running the same hand through his hair.
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“I don't really wash my hands ever.”
Social media users were quick to react to the viral clips.
The video also reignited discussion about Hegseth's previous public statements, with many users revisiting the 2019 handwashing controversy. Hegseth had joked during an appearance on Fox & Friends that he had not washed his hands for years because he did not believe germs were visible.
At the time, Hegseth later clarified that the remarks were intended as a joke and were not meant literally. Multiple news outlets reported that he said the comment was made “in jest.”
But that did not stop users from referencing those older comments while reacting to the latest video.
One X user wrote, “One time on Fox & Friends he said he never washed his hands and didn’t believe germs were real and I got a really funny angry email from Fox PR for blogging about it.”
Another user quoted Hegseth with the viral nose-wiping clip. “'I don’t think I’ve washed my hands for 10 years. Really, I don’t really wash my hands ever.'- Pete Hegseth, Feb. 2019”
Another user wrote, “I'm starting to think EVERYONE in this administration is on cocaine.”
Some users joked about his comment on sweating and wrote, “Hegseth is melting in South Carolina and blames his Norwegian Minnesota blood. The guy’s ancestors crossed the Atlantic for cold lakes and left him zero defense against August humidity. Viking DNA meets the Deep South and immediately surrenders.”