‘OMG …He’s Hammered’: Trump Hands Hegseth the Mic to Back His Iran Strategy — Then Eagle-Eyed Fans Spot His Face as Hegseth Repeats a Point That Isn’t Landing
United States ”Secretary of War” Pete Hegseth found himself at the center of online chatter after an Oval Office press meeting clip began circulating, with […] ‘OMG …He’s Hammered’: Trump Hands Hegseth the Mic to Back His Iran Strategy — Then Eagle-Eyed Fans Spot His Face as Hegseth Repeats a Point That Isn’t Landing
Black News 
United States ”Secretary of War” Pete Hegseth found himself at the center of online chatter after an Oval Office press meeting clip began circulating, with viewers zooming in on something that revealed more than intended.
Hegseth was eager to boast about President Donald Trump and the administration’s illegal war in Iran with some truly shocking remarks. However, it’s his behavior that might have the White House working overtime to do damage control.
The moment quickly took on a life of its own, in front of the cameras as Trump gave a lengthy speech during Tuesday’s swearing-in ceremony for Kristi Noem’s replacement as Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Markwayne Mullin.
Hegseth stood behind them with a very curious expression on his face. Fans say he will never beat the allegations of the defense secretary’s alcohol abuse, which came up during his confirmation hearings last year, after being accused of showing up to the meeting intoxicated.
After the swearing-in ceremony, Trump took a few questions before calling Hegseth to the mic to give a “three-minute statement” about the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran, which he describes as a “military operation.”
Hegseth stepped up to the podium as his boss moved behind him.
“The president has made it clear that you will not have a nuclear weapon. The War Department agrees, our job is to ensure that,” he said while making a weird gesture, shaking his fist repeatedly back and forth.
Early contender for my favorite video of the year.
— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) March 24, 2026
It's the eyebrows for me. pic.twitter.com/QFfTATXV4q
Trump’s eyes got big, and his eyebrows raised watching as Hegseth continued, “So we’re keeping our hand on that throttle as hard as is necessary to ensure the interests of the United States of America are achieved on that battlefield.”
Later, he, White House Border Czar Thomas Homan, and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bond stepped back to hear Mullin speak.
In that very moment, photographers captured a photo of Hegseth with a dopey, loopy expression on his face and scrunched-up mouth that got circulated online. One look at his face, and social media users were convinced he had “the mouth of a drunk.”
“Looking like he hit the bottle,” wrote a second person, while others said he looked “Hammered” like “Hangover Hegseth.”
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His mouth was poked out by his lips, as a result of “day drinking,” according to some and the close up was even more brutal as people dropped hints of what they thought he was thinking.
“He’s envisioning that Margarita,” added one person. Others piled on, “Looks like he may have indulged in a cool beverage… or five.”
One user suggested that Hegseth’s expression is perfect material for the sketch comedy show “Saturday Night Live,” writing, “OMG perfectly made for Colin Jost.”
A final user commented, “When you’re drunk but trying not to show it.”
Aside from Hegseth, Ricky Buria, his top adviser and acting chief of staff, has also been accused of being intoxicated on the job.
Even before landing his position as Defense chief in January 2025, Hegseth, 45, was accused of having a drinking problem. Reports surfaced in December 2024 that claimed the former “Fox & Friends” television host often smelled like alcohol before going on air.
However, there has been no confirmation that Hegseth or Buria were under the influence during either meeting. But the whispers of public drunkness came well before landing his title as Defense chief in January 2025. A month prior, he was seen hosting a live stream for New Year’s Eve and after several people claimed the former “Fox & Friends” television host often smelled like alcohol before going on air.
Trump and Hegseth also used the ceremony to boast about their illegal war in Iran and the military “viciously” destroying the enemy. While answering a question about negotiating with the country, Hegseth said, “We negotiate uh, with bombs.”
The president also took a jab at Iran, stating that 82 percent of the country’s missile launchers were dead. “They can’t launch them,” he said. “And they don’t have very many of them, as most of them have been annihilated.”
Trump’s air strikes on Iran resulted in more than 170 people, mostly children, being killed at an all-girls’ elementary school in Minab. The president also added during the Oval Office meeting that the Iran War is currently “winding down.”
As the rhetoric escalated, attention drifted back to Hegseth and the ongoing chatter surrounding his mouth, with critics again raising questions about his judgment and whether his behavior and the tone of the remarks matched the weight of what was being discussed.
