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Pete Hegseth handshake sparks Freemason controversy amid Iran war; ‘isn't even trying to hide it'
A video of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's handshake with a fellow US military force member has gone viral with unverified claims linking it to Freemasons.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's handshake appears to have caused a controversy online. In a video widely circulated on social media platforms, he was seen shaking hands with a US military personnel.
However, the hand gesture has sparked a discussion among many online. “THERE’S NO WAY HE JUST DID THIS ON CAMERA. Watch his hand closely. Pete Hegseth isn’t even trying to hide it. That handshake is NOT random,” one profile on X wrote.
The video shows Hegseth in a suit and baseball cap as he meets with a US military personnel. They shake hands and exchange words, with a camera recording the moment.
Others too pointed to Hegseth's handshake and said “Pete Hegseth and military officer share a Masonic handshake.” Yet another added “Pete Hegseth and his Freemason Handshake.. Now you know who's promoting this war.”
Pete Hegseth handshake: Fact-check
Hegseth's handshake sparked speculations of a Freemasonic handshake. However, there is no indication of Hegseth being linked to the Freemasons, or the handshake having any deeper significance than a common courtesy.
Grok fact-checked various social media speculations surrounding the gesture and said "The handshake between Pete Hegseth and the Air Force officer is a standard firm, palm-to-palm military-style grip—common in official greetings. The video slows it, zooms the hands, and overlays old Masonic diagrams labeling it the "Pass Grip of a Fellow Craft" to imply a secret signal." The AI chatbot added “That's a classic conspiracy edit; actual grips vary by angle, pressure, and habit. Hegseth has zero documented Masonic links—his affiliations are public conservative Christian (CREC network). No evidence it's anything but normal.”
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In another post, Grok said “The video overlays Masonic grip diagrams on what looks like a standard handshake between Hegseth (in civilian clothes) and a uniformed officer at Joint Base Andrews. No credible records show Hegseth as a Freemason—he's publicly tied to a conservative Christian nationalist church network (CREC) that doesn't align with Masonry. It's a normal firm grip, not a secret signal. Conspiracy clips often exaggerate everyday interactions this way.”
Thus the claims about Hegseth's handshake having any Masonic links appear to be conspiracy theories which aren't grounded in any fact.
The speculations surrounding Hegseth come at a time when the Defense Secretary is under immense scrutiny as US President Donald Trump launched Operation Epic Fury, a joint mission with Israel where they took out Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and sparked a war that's ongoing in the Middle East.
