Fox News host Jesse Watters says he asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for a favor Thursday night, only to be rejected for a pointed but hilarious reason.

Watters attended Thursday night’s state dinner honoring China’s President Xi Jinping and described the experience on Friday’s episode of “The Five.”

At some point, Watters said someone wanted to take a photo, and he looked for someone to hold his drink because he didn’t want it in the pictures. So he turned to Hegseth, who worked for Fox until Trump appointed him secretary of defense.

After he asked, “Hegseth, can you hold my drink because I don’t want to have a drink in a picture?” the defense secretary reportedly responded, “I can’t be seen holding a drink!”

Watters: They wanted to take a picture. I said, “Hegseth, can you hold my drink because I don’t want a drink in a picture?” He says, “I can’t be seen holding a drink.” pic.twitter.com/WnmGrlFfNO

The remark served as a reminder of the many rumors of the defense secretary’s alleged issues with booze when he was at Fox, and during his current job as well.

In January 2025, Hegseth denied the rumors and promised he would never drink on the job if confirmed.

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