A post is circulating on Facebook (FB) claiming to be an exchange between United States (U.S.) Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and a journalist on diplomacy and concessions amid the impending Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations.
This is fake. Only the first question and answer between the U.S. official and the journalist was real.
The fake exchange first posted on Feb. 21 bore the fabricated transcript:
REPORTER: You focused on what Ukraine has to give up. What concessions will be demanded of Putin?
HEGSETH: Hmm. I would start by saying that the arguments that have been made that somehow sitting down at the table right now is making concessions to Vladimir Putin, I just reject that outright.
REPORTER: Yes, but every “peace talk” so far has been about what Ukraine has to give up – territory, NATO aspirations, sovereignty. So what exactly is Putin putting on the table?
HEGSETH: Well, I don’t think it’s fair to say that we’re just giving concessions to Putin. REPORTER: Okay, is he pulling out the Russian troops? Paying reparations? Admitting war crimes? Or is his big “compromise” that he’s just taking less from Ukraine than he originally wanted?
HEGSETH: Look, negotiations require both sides to make sacrifices.
REPORTER: Yes, but only one side has launched a full-scale invasion. If a guy steals your house and offers to give you back half of your living room, that’s not a “compromise” – that’s a hostage deal.
HEGSETH: I just think it’s time for diplomacy.
REPORTER: Diplomacy is great when both sides want peace. But when one side just wants a “pause” to recharge, that’s not diplomacy – that’s setting up for the next invasion.
HEGSETH: So you’re saying no negotiations, just endless war?
REPORTER: No, I’m saying that a peace agreement where only one side makes sacrifices is not peace – that’s a better saying for surrender.
The original exchange between Hegseth and the reporter happened during a Feb. 13 press briefing, after a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) meeting of ministers in Belgium. This was prompted by a question from Liz Frieden, a Fox News reporter covering the U.S. defense beat (Pentagon).
In the exchange, Frieden did ask Hegseth: You have focused on what Ukraine is giving up. What concessions will Putin be asked to make?
Hegseth responded that he rejects arguments that point out only what Ukraine has conceded, then proceeded to say that U.S. President Donald Trump is the “perfect dealmaker” from a position of strength that can bring both Ukraine and Russia back to the table to ink peace talks.
Nowhere in his full response to the reporter nor did any journalist in the press briefing tell off Hegseth on diplomacy and an “endless war,” as alleged in the fabricated post.
While the publisher was not Filipino, several engagements in the post were made by netizens from the Philippines.
To date, the fabricated post has garnered over 3,000 likes and 29,000 shares.
