**CLAIM:** a Viral Video Claims to Show Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s Pick for Secretary of Defense, Physically Shoving a Protestor in a Wheelchair During a 2024 Campaign Rally in Kentucky.

CLAIM: A viral video claims to show Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense, physically shoving a protestor in a wheelchair during a 2024 campaign rally in Kentucky.

FACT CHECK: FALSE. The video is an altered deepfake created using generative AI. The original footage, verified by multiple sources, shows Hegseth shaking hands with a veteran at a Louisville event. The person in the wheelchair is a local actor, not a protestor, and the video was posted by a known satirical account. There is no evidence Hegseth was in Kentucky on the date stamp shown in the viral clip.

BOTTOM LINE: This is a fabricated narrative designed to inflame political tensions. Hegseth’s actual campaign schedule has him in Iowa that day.