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U.S. Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth's, social media post (Image Credit: X)
By Liam Verster
Department of Social Media War

Vernon Cadets targeted in U.S. Secretary of Defence post

Sep 1, 2026 | 12:27 PM

The U.S. Secretary of Defence has targeted the Vernon Cadets in a social media post.

On X, Pete Hegseth reposted an Instagram image from Vernon Cadets saying, quote, “this is real” with a Canadian flag emoji.

The post, showing a youth receiving an award from a Cadet instructor, implied Canadian Armed Forces were unfit for service.

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The post triggered massive responses with people defending the cadet program as it is a summer youth training camp, but reports state the Pentagon is defending the post.

The Department of National Defence also issued the following statement, shared via email to Vernon Matters, in response to the post.

“We are proud of the professionalism and contributions of all our dedicated Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members.

“The Cadet Program provides youth aged 12 to 18 with opportunities to develop leadership skills, knowledge, and self-confidence in a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment. We celebrate the achievements of cadets across Canada and the dedicated CAF members, civilian instructors, and volunteers who help young people build character, resilience, and teamwork, preparing them to lead with integrity, serve with purpose, and grow with honour.”

With files from the Canadian Press.

by Liam Verster
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