I don't think that they -Hegseth/Trump - are "aware" at all. Not at any normal way. They do not possess feelings of empathy toward people other people.

The Media likes noise, plain and simple. Person makes noise, gets attention, people write his name, cameras point to him, for which he make more noises, suddenly he is all over internet and social media: numbers go up, numbers numbers sell sell subscribe subscribe. The game is quantity not quality.