It started with a piece of pizza. Cold, day-old pizza that hadn't been refrigerated.
During a 2019 broadcast of Fox & Friends, Pete Hegseth mentioned he didn't see the problem with eating it. His co-hosts, Ed Henry and Jedediah Bila, looked a little skeptical. Then, Hegseth dropped the line that would follow him for the next decade: "I don't think I've washed my hands for 10 years."
The set went quiet for a heartbeat before the gasps and laughter started. "I don't really wash my hands ever," he continued, leaning into the bit. "I inoculate myself. Germs are not a real thing. I can't see them, therefore they're not real."
Social media, as it usually does, caught fire instantly. People were horrified. They were disgusted. But mostly, they were confused. Was he serious? Does a guy who went to Princeton and Harvard really believe that microscopic pathogens are a myth?
The Reality Behind the Pete Hegseth Hand Washing "Admission"
Honestly, context is everything. If you watch the original clip, Hegseth is smirking. He’s poking fun at what he calls the "Purell-obsessed" culture of modern America.
🔗 Read more: Emma Thompson and Family: What Most People Get Wrong About Her Modern Tribe
Shortly after the segment went viral, Hegseth jumped on Twitter (now X) to clarify that he was, in fact, joking. He pointed out that the media's "self-righteous" reaction was exactly what he was trying to trigger. Even his political opposites, like MSNBC’s Chris Hayes, stepped in at the time to note that it was clearly a prank.
But a funny thing happens with the internet. Jokes don't die. They just hibernate until someone gets a big promotion.
When Donald Trump nominated Hegseth for Secretary of Defense in late 2024, the "no-wash" clip resurfaced with a vengeance. Critics used it to question his fitness for office. Supporters used it as an example of his "anti-woke" humor. The reality is likely somewhere in the middle—a guy making a gross-out joke to mock over-sanitization.
Why Germ Theory Isn't Actually Up for Debate
While Hegseth was trolling, the science he was joking about is pretty settled. You've probably heard of the "hygiene hypothesis." It's the idea that being too clean can actually weaken our immune systems because we aren't exposed to enough "good" bacteria.
💡 You might also like: How Old Is Breanna Nix? What the American Idol Star Is Doing Now
There's some truth to that, but it doesn't apply to hand washing after using the restroom or handling raw meat.
- The 20-Second Rule: The CDC remains adamant. Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of infections.
- Microscopic Reality: Just because you can't see Salmonella or E. coli doesn't mean they aren't hanging out on your palm after you touch a gas pump.
- Public Health Impact: Proper hygiene reduces respiratory illnesses in the general population by about 16–21%.
Hegseth’s "inoculation" theory—the idea that exposing yourself to filth builds a "shield"—works for some mild environmental allergens. It does not work for the norovirus. That’s just a recipe for a very bad weekend.
The Cultural Divide of a Bar of Soap
Why did this specific story stick? Why do we still care about Pete Hegseth hand washing years later?
It’s because it tapped into a massive cultural nerve. For some, refusing to obsess over germs is a sign of "toughness" or a rejection of "nanny-state" health advice. For others, it's a terrifying rejection of basic science and communal responsibility.
📖 Related: Whitney Houston Wedding Dress: Why This 1992 Look Still Matters
Even Hegseth’s own mother weighed in back in 2019. In a video shared by Inside Edition, she told him it was probably time to start listening to what she taught him as a kid.
Actionable Insights for the Modern World
Regardless of where you stand on Hegseth’s humor, the "hand-washing-gate" serves as a good reminder of how we handle hygiene in a post-pandemic world. You don't need to live in a bubble, but you shouldn't ignore the sink either.
- Don't over-sanitize everything. You don't need to bleach your groceries. Healthy exposure to the outdoors is good for your microbiome.
- Do wash when it counts. The "critical moments" are: after the bathroom, before eating, and after being in high-traffic public spaces (like subways or airports).
- Check your sources. The Hegseth story is a masterclass in how a "half-hearted commentary" (his words) can become a permanent part of a person's digital legacy.
Basically, if you're going to make a joke about not washing your hands for a decade, make sure you're ready to hear about it for the next decade. Hygiene isn't just about health; in the age of viral clips, it's about your reputation.
Stick to the basics: use soap, use warm water, and maybe don't tell the world you're skipping the sink if you ever plan on running the Pentagon.