Politics'Secretary of Snot' Pete Hegseth Trolled by Critics After Wiping Nose and Running Hand Through His Hair: Watch
Pete Hegseth went viral on social media for all of the wrong reasons.
Aug. 11 2026, Published 12:15 p.m. ET
Pete Hegseth's recent appearance in South Carolina had critics talking.
While in Charleston on Monday, August 10, the secretary of war was present for the ceremony to rename Joint Base Charleston to Joint Base Lindsey Graham in honor of the senator and Air Force veteran who passed away on July 11. However, all people could talk about was his behavior in front of the cameras, as at one point, he appeared to wipe his nose and then run his hand through his hair.
Pete Hegseth Gets Trolled on Social Media
Pete Hegseth appeared to fix his hair after wiping his nose.
"Secretary of Snot," one person on X joked of the incident, while another commented, "All natural hair gel."
"RFK Jr. told him not to trust hair products — mucus is organic and GMO free," quipped another critic.
Pete Hegseth Addresses His Sweating
The politician said he was sweating because he's 'a Norwegian from Minnesota.'
That same day, he was seen sweating while speaking at the podium, which he blamed on his background.
"I'm a Norwegian from Minnesota. That's why I sweat like a son of a b----," Hegseth, 46, said as he ran his hair through his hand again. "This is South Carolina in August."
Pete Hegseth Has Been Accused of Having an Alcohol Problem
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Some social media users thought the Republican's sweating was due to alcohol intake or withdrawal.
Since Hegseth has been accused of alcohol abuse and misconduct on the job by past employers, some social media users believed that was the real cause of his sweating.
"He’s zooted out of his f------ mind," one person alleged, while another asked, "What drugs did he ingest?"
"He repeatedly exhibits all the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal — sweating, facial flushing, hand tremors, and anxiety," someone else claimed. "Give him a glass of whiskey, and he’ll calm down quickly — saving you the public embarrassment."
Multiple reports claimed Pete Hegseth's colleagues worried about his drinking.
In 2024, The New Yorker reported that colleagues at the nonprofit Concerned Veterans for America were worried about his alcohol intake.
"A previously undisclosed whistle-blower report on Hegseth’s tenure as the president of Concerned Veterans for America, from 2013 until 2016, describes him as being repeatedly intoxicated while acting in his official capacity — to the point of needing to be carried out of the organization’s event," the article read.
Another NBC News report claimed his co-workers at Fox News also noticed his drinking.
Pete Hegseth Denies Having a 'Drinking Problem'
Pete Hegseth claimed 'no one' has ever expressed concerns about his alcohol intake.
While on "The Megyn Kelly Show," the father-of-five insisted he's "never had a drinking problem" and denied the allegations.
"No one’s ever approached me and said, you should really look at getting help for a drink. Never," he declared. "I’ve never sought counseling, never sought help. I respect and appreciate people who do."
Hegseth acknowledged many soldiers who "come back from war" will drink to combat "the demons you see on the battlefield."
"Unfortunately, tragically, for too many guys, it’s with the bottle and then it’s depression and even worse, suicide. I mean, we’ve got an epidemic of that in our country," he explained. "Thank God, by the grace of God, I found my chapters of purpose. They pulled me out of that."
