Pentagon Pete Torched for Unlikely Posse on Work Trip

Politics admin June 5, 2026 0 Comments

Pentagon Pete Torched for Unlikely Posse on Work Trip

Pete Hegseth flew to France to commemorate the anniversary of the D-Day landings—and decided to bring his kids along for the ride.

The defense secretary, 45, landed in Paris on Friday with his wife and six of their kids, swiftly sparking backlash for what social media users described as a “family holiday by the looks of it.”

Hegseth is in France to participate in June 6 events commemorating the 82nd anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, according to the Defense Department.

“The Secretary’s participation will honor the sacrifices of the valiant patriots who fought and died on the Normandy beaches to secure and defend freedom in Europe in the face of tyranny,” it said in a statement, adding that Hegseth would meet with French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin.

France rolled out the red carpet for its guests, who looked more like they were ready for a family getaway in a clip posted to X by the self-anointed “Department of War.”

Hegseth walked off the plane wearing a black hat with his sleeves rolled up, while his wife Jennifer, 41, seemed comfy in her jeans paired with a blazer. The couple shares seven children in their blended family, six of whom joined them on the trip.

Social media users were quick to torch Hegseth for making the work trip appear like a family vacation.

“Is this alcoholic frat boy freak on vacation or what? And why the hell is he arriving with the doomsday plane??!” one X user wrote, referring to the Boeing aircraft sometimes called the “flying Pentagon,” which serves as an airborne command post.

“Bringing the kids to Disney Paris at the taxpayer expense ???” one user wondered out loud, echoed by a second.

“Oh look. Another family outing that Americans are paying for!” another added.

“Looks like a family holiday to me,” one commenter declared.

When reached for comment, the Defense Department maintained that Hegseth was abiding by the rules.

“Secretary Hegseth follows all ethics rules, regulations, and guidelines to the letter,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said. “Department travel policies are applied consistently and with full accountability. The Department of War maintains rigorous standards to ensure taxpayer resources are protected while senior leaders fulfill their official duties.”