George Clooney is slamming the U.S. secretary of defense for mocking Canadian military cadets. Speaking at the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday, the American A-list star addressed Pete Hegseth’s social media post from earlier this week, which mocked members of the Cadet Training Centre in Vernon, B.C. “The idea that cruelty is the base, that being cruel and unkind is part of the fun of all this,” he said at a press conference for the festival, where he will receive a lifetime achievement award. “The secretary of defense just tweeted out a picture of women in the military in Canada and you’re going ‘What’s wrong with you? Where’s the sense of decency in all of this?’ I’m ashamed of all of that but we will get through it and we will come out better on the other side.” Clooney speaks out on American politics At the press conference in Venice, Clooney was also asked about the current state of the United States, and he didn’t hold back. “I’m always very optimistic about things. We’re at a moment in time that’s unfortunate…. That’s an understatement,“ he said. ”I do believe that we’re going to get through all of this. I’m old enough to have been through 1968 in the States, when every city in the United States was set on fire, and we lost Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy in the same year. There was tons of violence. The capital was surrounded with tanks. We’ve had some other difficult times, but this is one of them,” Clooney said. He also described the U.S. as a kakistocracy – a country run by the least qualified people. However, he remained confident this time in history will pass. “We’ll get through it, we will have an election in November that should be a check and balance, and then with any luck in 2028, we’ll have some restoration into some normalcy,” Clooney said. Canadian politicians condemn Hegseth’s post Hegseth’s post triggered massive backlash from Canadians. Some people posted that it was unfair for Hegseth to target the youth program in an attempt to disparage the Canadian Armed Forces, while others criticized the U.S. defense secretary for body-shaming women serving in the cadet program. Asked about the backlash Tuesday, U.S. Pentagon deputy press secretary Jacob Bliss said, “The X post speaks for itself.” Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters in Ottawa on Tuesday that comments from Trump administration officials maligning Canada’s military were “beneath their office.” B.C. Premier David Eby said Hegseth’s post and the Pentagon’s defence of it were an embarrassment. “It tells you everything you need to know about the amateur-hour, distracted, bizarre leadership that Americans are being subjected to,” Eby said. Conservative MP Garnett Genuis responded to Hegseth’s post on Monday saying “cadets do great work, and are not members of the military.” He added that “158 members of the Canadian military gave their lives in Afghanistan after your country was attacked.” “Canada and the U.S. have a great history of fighting together for freedom and justice. It’s history worth remembering,” Genuis said. The Army Cadet League of Canada condemned the online harassment and mockery of cadets and their achievements. “Directing derogatory commentary toward youth who are actively working to better themselves and serve their communities is unacceptable,” the league said about Hegseth’s remarks in a statement. It said the league “stands firmly behind cadets, adult staff, volunteers, and officers who dedicate their time to building stronger communities and developing the next generation of Canadian leaders.” The national, community-based cadet program is for youth aged 12 to 18. A federal government website says the program provides “opportunities for youth to gain valuable knowledge and skills that build confidence and help pave the way in a transition to adulthood.” With files from The Canadian Press
