10 alleged Hegseth quotes, investigated

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has been the subject of a number of Snopes fact checks since President Donald Trump picked him to be a part of his administration ahead of his second inauguration. Hegseth's official remarks as defense secretary, like his actions, have tended to be brash and controversial. We've put together a collection of articles about some of the more provocative quotes attributed to Hegseth, sometimes accurately, sometimes not. The topics include rules of engagement, women's right to vote and so-called "kamikaze dolphins." Our analysis begins below: Sources Deng, Rae. "12 Rumors About Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth." Snopes, 30 Apr. 2025, www.snopes.com/collections/pete-hegseth-rumors-collection/. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.---. "13 Rumors About Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth We've Fact-Checked." Snopes, 2 May 2025, www.snopes.com/collections/hegseth-defense-secretary-rumors/. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.---. "20 Rumors We've Investigated About Hegseth." Snopes, 10 Dec. 2025, www.snopes.com/collections/hegseth-rumors-collection/. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.Izzo, Jack. "21 Claims We've Investigated About Hegseth's Department of Defense." Snopes, 4 Apr. 2026, www.snopes.com/collections/hegseth-department-of-defense-rumors/. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026. By Emery Winter Emery Winter is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and previously worked for TEGNA'S VERIFY national fact-checking team. They enjoy sports and video games. Article Tags