Was Pete Hegseth wearing a Russian flag tie in Zelenskyy meeting? US VP JD Vance responds

Pete Hegseth wearing Russia flag tie?

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth drew attention during a high-stakes meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for wearing a tie with white, blue, and red stripes resembling the Russian flag, sparking confusion and online commentary among netizens.

Hegseth was seated next to Trump, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio between them, while Vice President JD Vance and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sat to the right; unlike other attendees, Hegseth’s tie stood out with its bold colors.

US Vice President JD Vance defended Hegseth in response to an X post by user Jake Broe, who wrote, "Pete Hegseth showed up to the White House meeting today with President Zelensky wearing a Russian tricolor flag tie. These people love Putin and Russia." Vance replied, "Or maybe he was wearing the colors of America."

Or maybe he was wearing the colors of America https://t.co/K1zNmVIAA5

— JD Vance (@JDVance) October 18, 2025

US President Trump described the meeting with Zelenskyy as “very interesting and cordial,” emphasizing the need for a ceasefire. Following the discussion, Zelenskyy stated, “We decided that for now we will not publicly talk about long-range missiles, as the U.S. does not want escalation. We've decided to focus more on weapons production.”

Trump further posted on Truth Social, “The meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine was very interesting and cordial, but I told him, as I likewise strongly suggested to President Putin, that it is time to stop the killing and make a DEAL! Enough blood has been shed… No more shooting, no more Death, no more vast and unsustainable sums of money spent.”