On August 17, 2026, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used an anti-transgender slur while speaking at a military fundraiser tied to the Iowa State Fair, saying: “At the Department of War, we do training, not trannies.”
The remark was unprompted. He was appearing at “Operation Top Nunn: Salute to the Troops,” an annual fundraiser and veterans event held at JR's Southpork Ranch, campaigning for Republican Rep. Zach Nunn, who is seeking a third term.
The setting is part of the record: a sitting Defense Secretary used the slur at a political campaign event for a member of Congress, at a veterans fundraiser, while the war with Iran was ongoing.