‘I don’t wash hands’: Defence Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth’s 2019 comment goes viral

An old clip of Fox News host Pete Hegseth, who claimed he hadn’t washed his hands in a decade, resurfaced and went viral on social media after US President-elect Donald Trump nominated him for the Secretary of Defence last Tuesday.

The clip from 2019 has been reshared on X, formerly known as Twitter, after the recent nomination, with one post reaching over 1.2 million people. 

"I don't really wash my hands ever and inoculate myself. Germs aren’t a real thing. I can't see them; therefore, they are not real," Hegseth was quoted as having said in the clip. His Fox and Friends co-host Jedediah Bila appeared shocked, saying: "Someone, help me!" Hegseth later posted on Twitter that the comment was a joke. 

The renowned host previously served in Afghanistan and Iraq, receiving the Combat Infantryman Badge. During his time with Fox News, he developed a friendship with Trump, who has made regular appearances on Hegseth's show on the weekends.

Trump announced Hegseth's selection as the Secretary of Defence in a social media post on Tuesday evening. "Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country. Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First," the president-elect said.

On the one hand, Hegseth’s nomination received a mixed reaction from those in the military and the Republican Party, but on the other social media users used the viral clip to doubt that he isn’t qualified to run such a complex government department.

According to an X user, "Why is he not nominated for Health Secretary?" Another said, "I just hope the Generals at the Pentagon have someone to talk to tonight."

However, some said the host was clearly joking in a clip that was nearly six years ago.