The Pentagon is reportedly cracking down on photographers who captured Pete Hegseth in a negative light—but the rah-rah defense secretary has already produced plenty of heinous photos over the years.
Certain news photographers have been “barred” from briefings about the war with Iran for snapping photos on Mar. 2 at the Pentagon of Hegseth, a 45-year-old former Fox News weekend anchor, that his goons determined to be “unflattering,” two sources told The Washington Post.
If you’re wondering what he looked like on the day, and what he might object to, we are none the wiser on the latter: The Pentagon has not returned the Beast’s request for comment.
But here are the photos he apparently wanted banned, and below them, is a glimpse at some of Hegseth’s looks that may be related to his complaints.
When he is not at press briefings, of course, Hegseth like to portray himself as a man of action, which has led to a possibly unprecedented number of topless photos of a secretary of defense, all of which reveal his body art.
Hegseth’s many tattoos were a hot topic during his narrow Senate confirmation, particularly a large Jerusalem cross on his chest—a symbol critics link to Christian nationalism and modern crusader imagery.
National Guard leaders even barred Hegseth from serving at former President Joe Biden’s inauguration because they flagged another tattoo, featuring the French words “Deus Vult” (God wills it), on his bicep as a possible extremist symbol. Hegseth has rejected any notion that he is a white nationalist and noted that his tattoos are historic Christian symbols.
Unlike many of his predecessors, Hegseth does not keep a low profile as Trump’s secretary of defense.
He frequently throws himself in front of TV cameras and has tried to ramp up military recruitment by installing a “warrior ethos” in the armed forces that he claims was absent during the Biden administration.
His over-the-top pep talks, including a September speech in which he required all of the top military brass to fly to Virginia for him to lead a pep rally, have irked top generals who just want him to competently lead the military.
All that leads to awkward facial expressions, which could be a cause of the sort of embarrassment which leads to a ban on photographers.
But he is hardly new to the public eye.
While Hegseth became a household name in MAGA 2.0, many of his most eye-popping photos came from his time as a Fox News host. During a 2023 New Year’s celebration, Hegseth, who has been accused of having a drinking problem, popped a bottle of champagne while in a dunk tank and took a swig from it. The host, who was wearing a white dress shirt, showed off his tattoos again once he was soaked in water and likely some booze.
Hegseth has particularly gone all out for his Fourth of July outfits each year at Fox. In 2020, he hosted Fox & Friends while wearing an American flag bowtie, a sports coat, an American flag belt, and camouflage shorts, which he showed off on live TV.
The following year, Hegseth celebrated the holiday wearing an eyesore of a shirt that read, “A pledge a day keeps the commies away.” He completed the look with an American flag cowboy hat.
More recently, Hegseth’s day-to-day attire as a member of Trump’s Cabinet has seen him wear suits—albeit many with American flag accents or accessories.
Now, with more than just his own network’s cameras following him around, news photographers have captured a flurry of unflattering snaps of Hegseth.
His frequent press events, increasing in frequency since Trump decided to ditch his “peace president” schtick and bomb Iran and abduct Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro, have provided the cameras with even more opportunities to catch Hegseth at the wrong moment.
The secretary, who often speaks loudly and gestures constantly when at the podium, may want to tone his antics down if he wants the number of awkward photographs to slow.
Until then, not-so-flattering photos will continue to pile up—no matter who is behind the camera.
