Pete Hegseth’s viral video has sparked widespread discussion online. The United States Secretary of War was reportedly heard passing gas during a public speech.
The incident reportedly took place during a press conference on April 6. Hegseth talked about the rescue operation of the American pilot in Iran. The clip appears to capture the moment just before his opening remarks.
The authenticity of the video remains in question. While some believe it to be genuine, others call it AI generated.
The video quickly spread across social media platforms. It garnered millions of views and sparked memes and funny reactions.
The Iranian Embassy in Kenya took this opportunity to ridicule Pete Hegseth. “The strait is open,” it wrote while sharing the video.
The Iran Meme War
Iranian diplomatic accounts and state media launched a coordinated social media campaign targeting the United States. They targeted Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth in particular.
The campaign includes memes, sharp comments and sarcastic posts across platforms like X (formerly Twitter). After Hegseth spoke of sending Iran “back to the Stone Age”, Iranian embassies responded with historical comparisons. They argued that Iran was developing a civilization while others were still struggling for basic survival.
In one viral post, the Iranian embassy in South Africa mocked the reorganization of the US military by calling it a successful “regime change” with a reference to “MAGA”. Another post from Zimbabwe took a direct dig at Trump: “Trump, please talk. We’re bored.”
Iranian cliques also mocked American military might. America “only wins wars in Hollywood,” they argued.
In addition to memes, official rhetoric has also sharpened. Iranian spokesmen rejected US talks on a ceasefire, saying the US was “negotiating with itself”. The embassy in the United Kingdom criticized Hegseth’s remarks as “medieval rhetoric”.
State media called the US threats exaggerated. According to them, this is an attempt by the US to hide the failure in the Middle East.
Reaction on social networks
Meanwhile, social media doesn’t care if it’s real or fake. Users shared jokes and memes about the US Secretary of War.
“That wasn’t a fart. It was a clear liver slip,” joked one user.
“If he accidentally farts 4K on camera before, imagine the gas leak briefing when he finds out he’s being indicted… better check your boxers Petey,” another user joked.
Another user commented: “I really want this to be real and if it’s real Minister O’Fart would be trending.”
“Pete’s farts are smarter than his words,” came another sharp remark.
