Pete Hegseth Mocked by Critics After Photo Op Backfires as He Trails Behind Military Runners
Pete Hegseth's latest workout has been mocked.
Oct. 14 2026, Published 2:00 p.m. ET
Pete Hegseth has been brutally mocked by critics after a photo op backfired on him, RadarOnline can report.
A video of the Defense Secretary exercising with members of the military showed him trailing behind them, which led to plenty of backlash.
Pete Hegseth's Military Workout
In addition to struggling with pull-ups, Hegseth also appeared slow on the track compared with other military personnel.
Hegseth was seen lagging behind troops
Hegseth joined Marines for a physical training session in San Diego on October 7 while awaiting the return of troops from the USS Abraham Lincoln.
The workout was a planned photo opportunity that Hegseth arranged. Video from the session shows him at the back of the pack during a run, barely remaining in the frame. The 46-year-old also appeared to struggle with medicine-ball repetitions and completing a bear crawl.
The footage offered critics an opportunity to question the fitness of the 46-year-old defense secretary, who has repeatedly promoted physical standards and military readiness during his tenure.
"I can just imagine the guys saying, 'Go faster! We've almost lost him!' one person on X quipped. Another added, "He should be in an office somewhere."
"Hegseth keeps embarrassing himself in these videos," a user joked.
Pete Hegseth Previously Claimed Women Should Stay Out of Combat Roles
Hegseth previously said women are not physically suited for combat roles.
Hegseth's workout did not stop with the running footage. He also attempted pull-ups in a separate video that drew scrutiny over his technique.
After that footage circulated, several women posted videos demonstrating proper pull-up technique, including one performed while holding a baby.
The former Fox News star has repeatedly argued that women are not physically suited for combat roles.
The contrast between those statements and the performance of the women in the pull-up videos has drawn particular notice.
The videos also fueled a debate about whether the defense secretary applies the same physical standards to himself that he promotes for service members.
Pete Hegseth's Workout With RFK Jr.
Hegseth's bad form was called 'half-up.'
Hegseth has made physical fitness a recurring part of his public image, including through a workout challenge he launched with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
In August 2025, the two men partnered on the "Pete and Bobby Challenge" as part of the Trump administration's "Make America Healthy Again" initiative.
They filmed themselves completing the challenge at the Pentagon Athletic Center alongside military personnel.
Hegseth finished in 5:25, ahead of Kennedy, then 71, who recorded a time of 5:48. Some Marines reportedly completed the workout in under five minutes, with one finishing in approximately 2:43 to 2:54.
The challenge also became a target of online mockery, with critics questioning Hegseth's form and describing some of his repetitions as "half-up."
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Fitness Under Fire
Hegseth's emphasis on physical fitness has been called out.
The latest footage adds to the scrutiny surrounding Hegseth's public workout appearances, which have placed his own athletic performance alongside the military personnel he leads.
His position as Defense Secretary puts him at the center of debates about military readiness, discipline, and physical standards.
In September 2025, Hegseth told hundreds of senior military leaders that physical fitness and appearance were essential to restoring what he called the military's warrior ethos.
"It all starts with physical fitness and appearance. If the Secretary of War can do regular hard PT, so can every member of our joint force,” he said.
