Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the USS Abraham Lincoln in San Diego on a Wednesday after the aircraft carrier returned from a long deployment to the Middle East. The 46‑year‑old former Fox News host joined Marines for a morning workout in San Diego, a routine that drew attention from the public and media.
Video of the event shows the troops moving ahead at a brisk pace while Hegseth trails behind. After completing pull‑ups, the other soldiers sprint off to the next exercise, leaving Hegseth visibly out of breath. He later high‑fived a few of them as he lingered.
The footage sparked ridicule across social media and television. Late‑night host Jimmy Kimmel mocked Hegseth on his show, describing him as a “secretary of war and styling mousse” and noting the former Fox host’s appearance in shorts. Former Representative Barbara Comstock and former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger also posted critical comments, while the Lincoln Project highlighted a past statement by Hegseth that he wanted “no fatties, no beardos, no weirdos” in the military.
The incident has prompted criticism from members of Hegseth’s own party and from Republicans opposed to President Trump. Comstock wrote that Hegseth was not working to protect troops or end the war, and suggested he find a job at a MAGA gym. Kinzinger tagged Hegseth in a video showing him lagging behind other runners. The Lincoln Project’s spokesperson reiterated Hegseth’s earlier remarks about excluding certain groups from the armed forces.
