this post was submitted on 23 Feb 2026
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth jokingly said any surge in takeout deliveries to the Pentagon — a phenomenon that has accurately predicted the start of major geopolitical events — could be him ordering pizza “just to throw everybody off.”

Asked about the “Pentagon Pizza Report,” an account on X that tracks activity at local pizza joints near the U.S. military hub, Hegseth said he was aware of the account.

“I’ve thought of just ordering lots of pizza on random nights just to throw everybody off,” he said Sunday on Fox News. “Some Friday night when you see a bunch of Dominos orders, it might just be me on an app, throwing the whole system off so we keep everybody off balance. We look at every indicator.”

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[–] First_Thunder@lemmy.zip 160 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Someone tell him about th gay bar index so he starts going there randomly too

[–] Soulphite@reddthat.com 49 points 1 month ago

it's not gay if you don't look into each other's eyes...

Pete Kegsbreath

[–] CXORA@aussie.zone 15 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Dude no... dont send republicans to ruin the vibe.

[–] Lemminary@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago (5 children)

Tbf, they're not sending anyone to where they haven't been before. 🤷‍♂️

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[–] tomiant@piefed.social 117 points 1 month ago (1 children)

All I hear is that the pizza index works, he is too fucking dumb to do anything about it, and is clearly rattled about it. If he was serious he would have kept his mouth shut, which he can't, and it's all bullshit.

[–] Aatube@thriv.social 5 points 1 month ago (2 children)

call me optimistic but i think he's just having a laugh

[–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 17 points 1 month ago (3 children)

He's too stupid and dangerous to be given that benefit of the doubt.

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[–] Scrollone@feddit.it 5 points 1 month ago

Are you having a laugh? Is he having a laugh???

(Ricky Gervais)

[–] MrMcGasion@lemmy.world 60 points 1 month ago (3 children)

"Thought about" and "might just" are two phrases middle aged white guys use when we want to talk big and then never follow through. I'd be shocked if he puts in one "fake" order, and highly doubt he'll be able to be consistent enough to throw off the tracker.

[–] tomiant@piefed.social 8 points 1 month ago

Right. He's too fucking dumb to pull off even random pizza orders. In any case, everyone knows that to really throw people off the scent you tell them about your plans, right? What a fucking muppet.

[–] Buddahriffic@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Or maybe they'll do one fake order the day before the real one and keep doing it like that, and the half-assing just means the pizza index predicts it one day earlier.

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[–] SpruceBringsteen@lemmy.world 48 points 1 month ago

That's why he invited that reporter to his illegal Signal chat, just to throw everyone off

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 33 points 1 month ago (1 children)

We look at every indicator.

After it's become widespread international news meaning our allies and enemies have known for at least a decade...

[–] daychilde@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

at least a decade…

You're not wrong, but even this article mentions a news article from 1991… heh

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

The 90s needed actual spooks casing out pizza places... That was a real thing, Russians casing take out joints in DC, even before pizza was a big deal.

But it was easier just to keep an eye on the parking lots and how many lights stayed on overnight.

For at least the last decade, there have been electronic means of surveillance allowing every country who gives a shit to monitor 24/7. Which sounds stupid, but that monitoring is essentially free and just one of 100s if not thousands of individual flags.

Pizza flag may go off a lot, but if x, y, and z are all also happening...

Then everyone knows something is gonna happen.

[–] dylanmorgan@slrpnk.net 25 points 1 month ago

“No raises this year, gentlemen. And ladies. But hey, PIZZA PARTY!!”

[–] TheTechnician27@lemmy.world 24 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Okay, fuck, he got me, that's really funny. Good job. Now please submit to The Hague, confess everything, and spend the rest of your life in prison.

[–] tomiant@piefed.social 8 points 1 month ago

A decade ago I was like, "FOX hosts are vile, disgusting, fucking goblins, but at least they're not in government".

I refuse to accept this is the reality I exist in.

[–] finallymadeanaccount@lemmy.world 22 points 1 month ago (6 children)
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[–] ilinamorato@lemmy.world 19 points 1 month ago (3 children)

And what is he going to do with all of those "diversion" pizzas?

Seems like that could be a good way to feed the hungry in DC: order a large and semirandom number of pizzas to the Pentagon every night, then distribute them to homeless shelters; on nights when you're planning or executing ops, just add to the order enough for your operation and pull them off of the pile before you redirect the rest to the shelters.

But the party of "lol your poor git gud" wouldn't dream of such a thing. More likely they'll toss them in the dumpster.

[–] XeroxCool@lemmy.world 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Americans shouldn't starve in such a wealthy nation, but there's just not enough money here. Do not. Touch. The ~~defense~~ war budget. Such a shame, homeless veterans and all that

[–] ilinamorato@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

Loved the joke, and it gives me an idea that might actually make this work: rather than sending it to a random homeless shelter every day, send it to a veteran's shelter.

[–] tomiant@piefed.social 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (4 children)

That would do nothing to block the alleged information leak. You'd simply count the number of pizzas reaching homeless shelters instead, and if there's a lower than normal amount, you know we're gonna invade Iran. I mean, know it even harder.

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[–] Buddahriffic@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

There was a tmnt toy back in the day that had a pizza cannon (I think it was the turtle van). I think tech might have caught up to that point by now to do it in real life.

[–] thesohoriots@lemmy.world 17 points 1 month ago

You know he doesn’t tip, so they’re not delivering twice.

[–] Heikki2@lemmy.world 15 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The real order will look like the Pentagon is throwing a kegger

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

That's just an average day for the alcoholic in charge.

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[–] NutWrench@lemmy.ml 11 points 1 month ago

A real military mobilization is about as easy to conceal as a sunrise. And you're not going to fool anyone by ordering a few extra pizzas.

[–] daannii@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago

Aren't all the pedos using "pizza" as covert code for child pornography ?

[–] crunchy@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Pretty sure he said this exact thing last year when the Pizza Index was correct. Is this a cute little gem he just has on standby?

[–] daychilde@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Yes, except it's not cute, nor really a game. Just stupidity. But otherwise, you're right :)

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 month ago

You're joking about your own ineptitudes? Bold strategy

[–] MuskyMelon@lemmy.world 8 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Give us your credit card number Pete and we'll help you order those pizzas.

[–] paraphrand@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

He thought of ordering lots of pizza? What a genius mastermind.

[–] RattlerSix@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago

I'm always surprised the pizza index works. There are over 20 restaurants inside the Pentagon, including a pizza place. It should be easy to make everyone order from those when something is happening

[–] lemmie689 4 points 1 month ago

Hello? Is this Dominos?

[–] Kcap@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

Well at least our troops will be fat asses just like he wants them.

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