World · World News Bureau
Canadian officials rebuke US Defence Secretary over cadet program mockery
Pete Hegseth, the newly appointed US Defence Secretary, has drawn sharp criticism from Canadian government officials after appearing to mock Canada's cadet programme on social media. The incident has prompted diplomatic pushback from Ottawa.
LSN World News ·
Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair and other officials have condemned remarks made by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth regarding Canada's long-established cadet training programme. The criticism centres on what officials characterised as inappropriate online commentary about the youth military initiative.
Official statements from Ottawa indicated that Hegseth's conduct fell below standards expected of a senior defence official. Canadian representatives described the apparent mocking as unbecoming of his position and called for more respectful engagement between the allied nations.
Canada's cadet programme, which has operated for over a century, provides military training and leadership development to young Canadians. The programme enjoys broad institutional support and is considered an important pathway for youth engagement with defence matters.
The exchange underscores existing tensions between Washington and Ottawa over defence spending and other bilateral issues. Both nations are NATO allies and have extensive military cooperation agreements, though recent diplomatic friction has marked their relationship.