The official “Rapid Response” X account for the U.S. Department of Defense, which supports the mission of the Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and the purported mission of “fighting against fake news,” shared the video below of Hegseth throwing a football back and forth to soldiers in a crowd.
The DoD Rapid Response account captioned the video: “That’s why he’s America’s SecDef.”
This is why he’s America’s @SecDef pic.twitter.com/AryAF4vouO
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) April 1, 2025
Many Americans are criticizing the Pentagon for characterizing or trivializing the responsibilities of one of the most important jobs in the country, and reminding others that the former Fox & Friends TV host revealed plans for a military strike in Yemen on a Signal chat with other cabinet members, the Vice President and a journalist.
As one replied, “With these skills, we’ll hire him, at most, at the Ministry of Sports! The Minister of Defense has to understand other things and respect other rules. For example, not to disclose classified information!”
Another replied: “He’s SECDEF because he’s a Trump loyalist who accepted the role despite being unqualified, knowing there were people who would be more effective with many more years of experience. He continues in the role despite breaching security and violating protocols putting troops at risk. Posting pictures of himself on social media everyday isn’t effective management, actually.”
Note: When the DoD Rapid Response account also shared the video below of Hegseth walking among the group of soldiers and shaking their hands, it wrote: “One thing is clear, the future of our nation’s @USNavy and @USMC LOVES our @SecDef.”
One thing is clear, the future of our nation’s @USNavy and @USMC LOVES our @SecDef
pic.twitter.com/LRIfFZX8W4
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) April 1, 2025
Not everyone is as impressed, as one replied: “Nah. It’s all forced af. They know he’s trash and that his actions puts them in danger. Stop trying to sugar coat it and RESIGN.”
Another voiced concern for the soldiers: “Nothing more than a bunch of indoctrinated kids that love America. No more wars on foreign soil. No more fighting Israel’s enemies. Keep them home.”