By Michael Katz | Wednesday, 02 September 2026 10:33 PM EDT
Actor George Clooney on Wednesday questioned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s sense of decency over a social media post widely interpreted as mocking a Canadian cadet and her instructor.
Hegseth’s post Monday on X featured a screenshot of an Instagram post from the Vernon Cadet Training Centre in British Columbia. It showed two young women in uniform — one receiving a medal. Hegseth captioned the image “🇨🇦 (this is real).”
The post drew criticism from people who said Hegseth was ridiculing the women’s appearance and Canada’s military. The national cadet program is for youths ages 12 to 18 and is not part of the Canadian armed forces.
Clooney cited Hegseth’s post while criticizing what he described as “the idea that cruelty is the base, that being cruel and unkind is part of the fun of all of this.”
“You see what the secretary of defense just tweeted out a picture about women … in the military in Canada, and you’re going, ‘What’s wrong with you?’” Clooney told reporters at the Venice Film Festival, where he was being honored with the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement.
“Where’s the sense of decency in all of this?” Clooney said. “And I’m ashamed of all of that. But we will get through it, and we will come out better on the other side.”
The Army Cadet League of Canada condemned what it described as online harassment and mockery of cadets and their achievements. “Directing derogatory commentary toward youth who are actively working to better themselves and serve their communities is unacceptable,” the league stated. The league said it “stands firmly behind cadets, adult staff, volunteers, and officers who dedicate their time to building stronger communities and developing the next generation of Canadian leaders.”
Hegseth’s post came amid heightened tensions between the United States and Canada after trade talks broke down last month. When asked about the backlash Tuesday, Pentagon spokesperson Jacob Bliss said, “The X post speaks for itself.”
Clooney, an American who lives in France, was also asked how he views the United States. “I’m always very optimistic about things, and I do believe that … we’re at a moment in time that’s unfortunate — I think that’s an understatement. I do believe that we’re going to get through all of this,” said Clooney, a critic of President Donald Trump and a top Hollywood fundraiser for Democrats.
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
