Pete Hegseth's Botox Rumors Hint He's Even More Vain Than Trump

It's no secret that Pete Hegseth has gone after people based on their looks. In a speech to a collection of military higher ups, Hegseth raved against "beardos," perhaps illuminating his own insecurities, and also complained about "fat troops."  It makes sense, then, that Hegseth cares so much about his own looks that he's rumored to have his own makeup room at the Pentagon, something he has denied. This isn't necessarily surprising, considering Hegseth was a makeup-wearing TV host on Fox News before becoming the Secretary of Defense. Hegseth's obsession with looks may have gone so far that he has actually received Botox, according to people who have been comparing him to his earlier days with a seemingly smoother, tighter face.

The Daily Mail reported that, under the condition of anonymity, someone close to Hegseth revealed that the secretary received a round of Botox injections in September 2025. "It's all an ego play for Pete," said the insider. "He's always been full of himself but lately his ego is off the charts. ... He's obsessed with his body and now he wants to create the entire military in his image." People on social media seemed to agree. One person on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, "Pete Hegseth's out here shaming 'fat troops' for not meeting his fitness standards while juicing his mug with Botox, hypocrisy so thick it needs its own PT test." Another person quipped, "Trump's Dept. of WAR: 'Make Botox Great Again!'"

In another hint at Pete Hegseth's obsession with his own looks, he has also made a point to have himself filmed and photographed while working out with troops. Hegseth and RFK Jr. also had a cringe gym challenge (that turned out to be a fragile masculinity showdown), giving him an excuse to showcase his body. Hegseth would hardly be the first MAGA man to tweak his face. Former Republican Representative Matt Gaetz looked unrecognizable after getting rumored plastic surgery, and speculation has long swirled about whether Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have had work done.

Allegedly receiving Botox injections is hardly one of the most controversial things that Hegseth has done, and we're all for doing whatever you want for your face and your body, so long as you're not hurting yourself or others. However, Hegseth is someone who has his own strict, gender normative definitions of what is manly and what isn't, so it seems a bit hypocritical for him to wear makeup and get cosmetic surgery, if indeed he has.