Pete Hegseth has sparked controversy with his fashion choice in Brussels. The Secretary of War opted for a casual look ahead of a NATO meeting, instead of standard formal attire. Critics have since slammed Hegseth’s awkward fashion moment on social media.
Pete Hegseth faces backlash over his outfit in Brussels
Pete Hegseth was spotted wearing a casual athleisure ensemble as he landed in Brussels for a NATO conference. The Secretary of War wore a red and blue plaid flannel shirt, layering it with a matching vest. He also sported a pair of gray track pants along with Nike sneakers, completing the look with a trucker hat.
The outfit is in stark contrast to the standard formal attire that government personnel typically wear for official business visits and meetings. Many have pointed out that even while landing at the airport, officials opt to dress up in sharp suits and business casual attire.
Hegseth’s fashion choice has since raised eyebrows, with many criticizing him for not wearing formal attire. One netizen on social media wrote that he dressed up “like a teenager from the 90s.” Another compared his outfit to “a tourist”. A third user commented, “That’s just a country boy getting off the plane.” One more wondered, “Dressed for a picnic?”
Although Hegseth dressed in casual outfits while landing in Belgium, he donned formals at the official meeting at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels on Thursday. During the conference, the Secretary of War announced a six-month Pentagon review of American forces in Europe. “This will be a real review. It will be designed to ensure that NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe leading, stepping up to take primary responsibility for the defense of Europe,” Hegseth said.
He went on to criticize European allies, saying, “They put America’s sons and daughters, our sons and daughters, at risk by denying them the predictable access, basing and overflight that never should have been in question at all.”
