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Fact Check: Was Pete Hegseth drinking alcohol while speaking to journalists at NATO press conference?

By Conrad Dias
Published on : 00:42 PST, Feb 18, 2025
Fact Check: Was Pete Hegseth drinking alcohol while speaking to journalists at NATO press conference?
Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth speaks during a press conference at the NATO Defense Ministers' meeting on February 13, 2025, in Brussels, Belgium (Omar Havana/Getty Images)

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM: President Donald Trump's Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attended the NATO meeting of defense ministers in Brussels on Thursday, February 13. The meeting set the stage for the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague, which will take place in June this year. 

However, it wasn't Hegseth's remarks that garnered people's attention. A viral post claimed that the American politician drank alcohol from a clear cup while speaking on stage during the news conference. But is there any truth to this? 

Pete Hegseth pauses to talk to reporters after a series of meetings with senators in the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on November 21, 2024 in Washington, DC. Hegseth was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to be the next Secretary of Defense. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Pete Hegseth pauses to talk to reporters after a series of meetings with senators in the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on November 21, 2024, in Washington, DC (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Claim: Pete Hegseth drank alcohol while speaking on stage at NATO press conference

A video of the alleged incident, which has been making rounds on social media, shows the former 'Fox & Friends Weekend' host reaching down behind his lectern for a cup while listening to a question from a journalist.

 

Several users also shared other videos and images that showed Hegseth taking sips from the cup during the meeting and discussed the brown and darkened appearance of the liquid.

An X user shared an image of Hegseth from the conference and captioned it, "Bro what happened to quitting?? DUI hire Pete Hegseth is an alcoholic."

 

Another person on Instagram shared the clip and wrote, "Despicable."

Fact check: No proper evidence to back claim about Pete Hegseth

The claim made in several posts is false as there is no credible evidence to confirm the rumor that Pete Hegseth was drinking alcohol at the NATO news conference, according to Snopes.

Moreover, the outlet also reviewed the available videos, which showed the liquid in the cup had a clear appearance, and no credible data proved that it was anything other than water.

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - FEBRUARY 13: US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth speaks during a joint press conference held with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during the NATO Defense Ministers' meeting on February 13, 2025 in Brussels, Belgium. NATO Defence Ministers are convening in Brussels for a meeting chaired by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Also in attendance is US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, marking the first visit to NATO by a member of the new Trump administration. High on the agenda for the allies will be ascertaining how the US intends to influence the trajectory of the war in Ukraine, as the conflict nears the third anniversary since Russia's full-scale invasion. (Photo by Omar Havana/Getty Images)
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth speaks during a joint press conference held with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during the NATO Defense Ministers' meeting on February 13, 2025, in Brussels, Belgium (Omar Havana/Getty Images)

Furthermore, videos momentarily showed that the liquid seemed darker mainly because Hegseth's fingers were behind the glass, which created that illusion, according to Snopes.

Some online users also alleged that the liquid in the cup could have been vodka or another clear type of alcohol but failed to offer any additional proof, the outlet mentioned.

Insiders claim Pete Hegseth's drinking worried Fox News colleagues

Pete Hegseth's drinking habit worried his colleagues at Fox News, according to 10 former and current Fox employees who spoke to NBC News in December 2024.

Notably, two of them claimed that on several occasions during Hegseth’s time as a co-host of 'Fox & Friends Weekend', they smelled alcohol on him before he went on air, per the outlet.

Moreover, two persons said that during his time at Fox News, he appeared on TV after they had heard him talk about a hangover as he was getting ready or on set.

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 21: Pete Hegseth leaves Vice President-elect, Sen. JD Vance's (R-OH) office following a series of meetings with senators in the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on November 21, 2024 in Washington, DC. Hegseth was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to be the next Secretary of Defense. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Pete Hegseth leaves JD Vance's office following a series of meetings with senators in the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on November 21, 2024, in Washington, DC (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

A source claimed that they smelled alcohol on him in November 2024 and heard him complain about being hungover last fall.

However, none of the sources recalled any instance when Hegseth missed a scheduled appearance because he had been drinking, per the outlet.

A former Fox employee said, "Everyone would be talking about it behind the scenes before he went on the air."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

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