Old-Fashioned Alpha Male? Pete Hegseth Mocked For Seeming To Wear Makeup At Hearing

Pete Hegseth was mocked online on Tuesday, 12 May, after a video from a Washington hearing on Pentagon funding linked to the Iran war appeared to show the self-styled 'old-fashioned alpha male' pursing glossy lips and, according to some viewers, wearing make-up as he testified.

The scrutiny of Hegseth's appearance and manner comes after years of questions about both his public persona and private conduct. The 45-year-old former Fox News presenter has long styled himself as a rugged conservative figure, and his rise to a senior defence role under Donald Trump has brought even greater attention to his behaviour. Earlier reports had already raised concerns about alleged heavy drinking in professional settings, so when fresh footage surfaced this week, critics quickly seized on it.

Social Media Reaction

In the short clip, which spread rapidly online, Hegseth sits beneath a nameplate reading 'The Honorable Pete Hegseth' while answering questions on the Pentagon budget. Throughout the exchange, his mouth appears tightly pursed, with his lips pushed forward in a way many viewers found striking.

One viewer wrote, 'Hegseth's duck lips are on fleek this morning,' turning the language of online beauty culture back on a politician who has built his image attacking it. Another commenter claimed that 'all of these "old-fashioned alpha males" like Hegseth sure love to clock time in the makeup chair,' openly suggesting he wore cosmetics during the hearing.

Some users said the moment looked less like a serious budget session and more like political satire. Several posts compared the footage to a Saturday Night Live sketch, where comedian Colin Jost, 43, has portrayed Hegseth in recent segments. The implication was clear. To those critics, the real version looked barely different from the parody.

None of the claims about make-up or styling has been substantiated, and no official explanation for Hegseth's appearance at the hearing has been given. As with much online commentary, the mockery rests entirely on how the footage appears, not on any confirmed detail.

Drinking Claims Return

As the clip was shared more widely, the comments quickly moved beyond jokes about his lips. A separate group of critics claimed his facial expressions and overall demeanour suggested he had been drinking.

'He brushed his teeth with Jack Daniels this morning,' one person wrote. Another called him 'alcoholic dry mouth.' A third said 'the booze bloat isn't doing him any favours,' while another went further, alleging: 'Dude is drunk and on drugs this morning.'

There is no evidence from the hearing itself to support those accusations, and officials have given no indication that Hegseth was under the influence while on duty. Even so, the speculation gained traction because it echoed longstanding claims about his alleged alcohol use.

In 2024, NBC News reported that some of Hegseth's former Fox News colleagues had raised concerns about what they described as inebriation at work. Those unnamed staffers told the outlet their worries grew when Trump considered him for a senior defence post. 'For the sake of national security, I really hope he has stopped drinking,' one former Fox staffer said. Another added: 'He should not be secretary of defense. His drinking should be disqualifying.'

Earlier still, The New Yorker reported on a whistle-blower document linked to Hegseth's time running the conservative non-profit Concerned Veterans for America between 2013 and 2016. According to that report, people who worked with him alleged he was 'repeatedly intoxicated while acting in his official capacity, to the point of needing to be carried out of the organization's events.'

These are serious allegations, but they have not been tested in court. They have, however, become part of the broader public narrative around Hegseth and now shape how many people interpret even a few seconds of video from a high-profile hearing.

Official Response

Hegseth has not addressed the latest online speculation about his appearance or claims he was intoxicated during the Pentagon hearing. When earlier reports emerged, his legal team rejected the allegations outright.

His lawyer, Tim Parlatore, told The New Yorker he would not comment on what he called 'outlandish claims laundered through The New Yorker by a petty and jealous disgruntled former associate of Mr Hegseth's,' adding: 'Get back to us when you try your first attempt at actual journalism.'

That denial remains the closest thing to an official response to broader questions about Hegseth's conduct. The whistle-blower account has not been independently verified, and the accuser's identity and motives were not fully disclosed.

The latest Capitol Hill clip has since become a political Rorschach test. Supporters see a minor moment blown up by critics eager to embarrass a Trump loyalist. Detractors see another troubling image of a man entrusted with decisions on war and peace.

No formal inquiry has been announced into Hegseth's conduct at the hearing, and neither he nor the Pentagon has issued a fresh statement. Nothing in the clip has been independently confirmed as evidence of intoxication or misconduct, leaving the most serious claims on social media unproven.