US War Secretary Pete Hegseth, aged 46, faced a widespread wave of mockery and public criticism after a video circulated showing him struggling to keep up with members of the armed forces during a physical training session. This event occurred
a day after an official visit he made to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln on Wednesday, following its prolonged deployment in the Middle East. In the same context, Hegseth headed to the San Diego base to join the Marines
for early morning training, where recorded footage showed military personnel moving forward quickly while running, while the minister appeared clearly lagging behind the group. During pull-up exercises, Hegseth appeared visibly exhausted and breathing heavily while others rushed to the next
exercise, content with exchanging friendly high-fives with those around him. The minister, who had previously declared his strong desire to revive the fighting spirit within the military institution and impose mandatory testosterone level tests for those over thirty, was subjected
to scathing mockery across social media platforms due to his physical fitness displayed in the clip. Prominent media figure Jimmy Kimmel, known for his ongoing sarcastic stances toward members of the new administration, did not miss the opportunity to highlight
these developments, mocking the minister's role and media appearance, while also facing criticism regarding the repeated extension of the aforementioned aircraft carrier's missions, which played pivotal roles in military operations against Iran. Criticism was not limited to media circles, but
extended to include political figures from within Hegseth's former party accounts, as former congresswoman Barbara Comstock denounced the performance of the current administration, questioning who protects the soldiers, and demanding he be given an alternative job in gyms. In turn,
politician Adam Kinzinger contented himself with publishing the recorded footage showing the minister lagging behind his peers, while the Lincoln Project, an opposition political grouping, recalled previous statements by Hegseth in which he called for the army to be free
of overweight or non-compliant elements, questioning the extent to which his actions match his previous slogans.
