Politics'Confused' Donald Trump, 79, Sparks Concerns for Imagining He Saw 'Great' Pete Hegseth on Live Interview
The president issued a public statement with misinformation, leading to claims of dementia.
July 12 2025, Published 3:59 p.m. ET
Donald Trump, 79, wrote a Truth Social post on Friday, July 11, saying he was thrilled to see Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in a live Fox News interview.
“Secretary of War Pete Hegseth was great on FoxNews this morning,” the president wrote. “Talking about modern weapons and warfare. Thank you also to Brett Velicovich, who really knows his ‘stuff.’ We are really on our way. MAGA!”
Donald Trump referred to Pete Hegseth as 'great' after his video from the Pentagon.
However, Hegseth was never live on-air with Fox, where he worked as a co-host for Fox & Friends from 2014 until 2024.
What Trump mistook for a live interview was actually a clip the network shared from Hegseth’s Twitter account, where he posted, deleted and reposted it again.
Pete Hegseth's Pentagon Video
Pete Hegseth initially shared the clip on Thursday before deleting it and reposting the next day.
Fox aired part of the defense secretary’s video four times before the president penned his social media post complimenting him for his work. In each instance, the far-right network clearly indicated the video was from Thursday, July 10.
In the video, Hegseth could be seen on the front lawn of the Pentagon alongside members of the American military. During which, he discussed how the United States plans to rebuild the military by implementing American-made drones.
Pete Hegseth on American-Made Military Drones
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Pete Hegseth said the American military is 'in the fight to win it.'
“In June, President Trump issued an executive order unleashing American drone dominance to bolster our drone industry and arm our war fires — because that’s what we’re all about,” Hegseth said.
“So today, I’m rescinding restricted policies that stifle production, and this will unleash American manufacturing and the ingenuity of our warfighters…This is the future; we’re in the fight to win it, and we’re never gonna back down,” he added as he signed a document delivered via drone.
'Dictator Dementia Trump'
Donald Trump's blunder led to social media users suggesting he may suffer from dementia.
After Trump’s mistake went viral, social media users expressed how shocked they were by the president’s blunder.
“Pete Hegseth was not on Fox News this morning. They did play a clip of a video Hegseth posted on social media. Perhaps a confused Trump thought it was live,” suggested one X user.
“For Trump, the distinction between reality and make-believe is increasingly blurred,” wrote another.
“Dictator Dementia Trump,” joked a third.
Donald Trump's Nephew Claims President Exhibits Signs of Dementia
The president's nephew Fred Trump III believes his uncle likely suffers from dementia like his late father, Fred Trump Sr.
Although the 79-year-old president claimed he had a clean bill of health after his physical exam in April, many doctors, critics and even his own family members have suggested his cognitive ability is deteriorating due to dementia.
In an interview with The Dean Obeidallah Show, Trump’s nephew Fred Trump III discussed their family history with dementia, noting how the president’s father, Fred Trump Sr., battled the disorder for eight years before his death in 1999.
When talking about the president exhibiting similarities to his father during his battle with dementia, Fred III said, “The things he’s spewing and the craziness, and he just can’t stick to a message. He used to be able to stick to a message.”
