Barack Obama mocks Pete Hegseth's focus on 'jawlines and testosterone' during Ohio campaign stop

WASHINGTON, DC: Former President Barack Obama aimed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a campaign appearance in Cleveland, Ohio, Saturday, poking fun at what he called Hegseth’s emphasis on the physical appearance and testosterone levels of US troops.

Obama made the comments while stumping for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton and Senate candidate Sherrod Brown. The former president took a humorous tone in his speech, mocking a handful of Republican leaders and recent controversies in making his case for Democrats in a state that has trended Republican in recent elections.

Barack Obama questions Pete Hegseth’s focus on troops’ appearance

“You’ve got the defense secretary … he’s very focused on important matters like the jawlines and testosterone levels of our troops,” Obama said.

The former president made the case that Hegseth’s focus on these issues has been a distraction and contributed to the prolonged Iran conflict.

Obama went further, adding, “How much time do you think this defense secretary spends looking at himself in the mirror in the morning?”

Hegseth has been criticized by Democrats for his handling of the Iran war and for referring to military personnel as "warriors" instead of "weirdos."

He has also called the military “low-T,” a reference to low testosterone, and ordered testosterone screenings for male service members under the age of 30.

Obama suggested Hegseth’s preoccupation with those issues had become a distraction from more pressing duties. He also tied his criticism of the defense secretary to the protracted conflict with Iran.

Democrats consider Pete Hegseth’s future after election

Obama’s comments came amid reports that Senate Democrats were discussing the possibility of seeking Hegseth’s removal following the Nov. 3 election.

Senate sources say Democrats are quietly considering making Hegseth’s removal a condition for working with Republicans on key defense-related issues during the lame-duck session after the election, The Hill reports.

The discussions could pressure the administration’s Pentagon leadership as lawmakers prepare to negotiate defense issues after the mid-term elections. Democrats may also have some Republican support for a change in the department’s leadership, The Hill reported.

The former president’s speech went after several Republican figures and recent scandals, often jokingly, as he made the case for Ohioans to support Acton and Brown, following years of rightward swings in the Buckeye State.

Obama was the last Democratic nominee to win Ohio, doing so in both his campaigns in 2008 and 2012.

A possible effort to remove Hegseth would come after months of Democratic criticism over his handling of the conflict with Iran and his remarks about military personnel. The report, however, didn’t indicate that a deal had been formally struck or that Hegseth’s ouster was imminent.

Obama hammered the defense secretary in Cleveland but also made a broader pitch for Ohio Democrats. His comments about Hegseth added to the political pressure on the Pentagon chief with the election looming.