BS BULLETIN:
- Jesse Watters says he asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to hold his drink during President Trump’s state dinner for Xi Jinping.
- Watters didn’t want to be photographed holding it.
- Hegseth’s good political instincts kicked in immediately and he refused: “I can’t be seen holding a drink!”
The Fox News host was recounting his adventures at President Donald Trump’s state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday’s edition of “The Five” when he got to what he admitted was a slightly embarrassing moment.
Photographers were getting ready to take pictures.
Watters was holding a drink.
And Watters decided he did not particularly want the two things combined.
So he turned to the defense secretary.
“Hegseth, can you hold my drink because I don’t want to have a drink in a picture.”
Hegseth’s response was immediate.
“I can’t be seen holding a drink!”
Problem not solved.
The exchange drew laughs from Watters’ co-hosts, but Hegseth had an obvious reason to be camera-conscious.
Questions about Hegseth’s past drinking have followed him since before his confirmation as defense secretary, after opponents raised allegations about his prior alcohol use. Hegseth has vigorously denied having a drinking problem and pledged during his confirmation process that he would not drink if confirmed.
So when Watters needed somebody to temporarily become the guy in the state-dinner photograph holding a beverage, Hegseth apparently decided he was not volunteering for the assignment.
The moment was only one part of Watters’ evening.
He also revealed that Apple CEO Tim Cook apparently mistook him for Tucker Carlson after Watters congratulated Cook on his success.
Watters said he encountered Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and later shook hands with Xi after Trump personally introduced them.
But the drink exchange may have been the most perfectly Washington moment of the night.
Watters didn’t want it in the picture.
Hegseth really didn’t want it in the picture.
And apparently the drink was left to fend for itself.
DBS WIRE SOURCES:
- Mediaite — Jesse Watters says Pete Hegseth refused to hold his beverage at state dinner
- Mediaite — Jesse Watters spills about his night meeting Xi at Trump’s state dinner
- Associated Press — Hegseth faces questions over drinking allegations during confirmation process
