CPAC 2021: Pete Hegseth mocked for saying people in diners are discussing 10th amendment

Pete Hegseth has been mocked on social media after suggesting that people in diners are sitting down to have conversations about the 10^th amendment.

The Fox and Friends host said in his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday that teachers, construction workers and waitresses “are not talking about esoteric things” but instead are sitting down talking about the constitution.

“I sit down with a school teacher, or a construction worker, or a small business owner, or a cook at a restaurant, or a waitress at the restaurant we’re at and they’re not talking about esoteric things that the Ivy League talks about or MSNBC talks about,” he said.

“They’re talking about the Bible, and faith, and prayer, and their family, hard work, supporting the police, standing for the national anthem, the 1st Amendment, the 2nd Amendment, the 10th Amendment.”

His comments immediately prompted pundits and other social media users to question which restaurant Mr Hegseth had visited where all the customers were sitting down discussing the 10^th amendment.

Read more: Trump to proclaim himself future of GOP as supporters hail him as ‘the boss’

“$10 says that if you poll every single person sitting in any given bar, 90% of them cannot tell you what the 10th Amendment says without googling it,” wrote Jill Filipovic.

MSNBC host Chris Hayes said: “Fwiw we led our show last night with the fact the minimum wage is too low and it’s too hard to make ends meet for too many Americans. But maybe that’s more esoteric than the 10th amendment, I dunno.”

Numerous Twitter users commented on Mr Hegseth’s speech, joking about the idea that diners are filled with people discussing the 10^th amendment, which, for those not currently sitting in a diner, says any power not constitutionally given to the federal government belongs to the states and the people.

Mr Hegseth spoke at CPAC in Orlando a day ahead of the highly anticipated speech due to be given by former President Donld Trump, which readouts released to the media ahead of time suggest will heavily hint at a 2024 bid for the White House.