Meet the new, influencer-stacked Pentagon press corps

The new Pentagon press corps gathered last week for their first in-person briefing. That’s since almost all credentialed reporters from traditional media companies surrendered their passes in October to protest new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s strict media policy.

Refusing to sign a 21-page Pentagon document that in effect banned journalists from trying to solicit any kind of information that was not pre-approved, the Pentagon instead issued passes to a newly credentialed corps of influencers, conspiracy theorists, and conservative commentators who happily agreed to the strict rules. 

The handpicked press corps were active on social media last week as they documented their first few days on the jobs. “The Fake News is OUT,” Wade Searle, who works for LifeSiteNews, a right-wing Catholic publication, posted on X. “LifeSiteNews is IN.”

“The A-Team press corps has taken over type beat,” 23-year-old MAGA influencer Lance Johnston posted. He also uploaded a slideshow of photos of himself posing with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. 

Others were otherwise occupied fighting over the desks of former press corp reporters. “The Pentagon cubicle that used to belong to @DanLamothe is now mine,” RC Maxwell, a reporter at the conservative outlet RedScare, posted on X, referring to a journalist at The Washington Post. “Out with the propagandists and hacks. In with the truth tellers who love America.”

Conservative influencer ​​Cam Higby and conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer also shared photos of themselves claiming to be sitting in Lamothe’s old spot. The Post reporter shared a compilation of the images on X, writing, “Y’all are going to have to work this one out for yourselves.”

During the three-day event, the new press corps didn’t miss an opportunity to take shots at their predecessors. “MSM Journalists wreaked havoc on the Pentagon during their time in the building,” posted Higby on X. He claimed that the “adversarial media” created a “hostile work environment” for staff, echoed by Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson who spoke of former press corp members “waltzing” into her office and “eavesdropping” on officials’ meetings. 

The new press corp instead brought the heat and kept the public informed on issues relating to national security. “Hegseth answered my questions. It’s off the record so no details but I am very pleased with his leadership,” John Konrad, a former ship captain and social media personality, reassured his X followers Wednesday.

Last week also saw the release of the long-awaited inspector general’s report on Hegseth’s sharing of highly sensitive military attack plans on the unclassified app Signal earlier this year.

“JUST IN: Advisor to @SecWar tells @RedState  the IG report on SignalGate is an exoneration given that it proves no laws were broken, no classified information was shared, and the mission was a success,” Maxwell posted on X. That is despite the report explicitly saying that Hegseth’s actions could have led to U.S. soldiers being harmed.

The new press also kept the public informed with reports of festivities in the Pentagon. “SANTA @ PENTAGON,” Higby posted. “Today Secretary of War Pete Hegseth introduced the children of America’s warfighters and civilian DoW staff to Santa, escorted in an armored military vehicle. Two soldiers in elf hats rapelled from the building as the vehicle arrived.” Johnston also captured the Pentagon Christmas tree lighting party for the public’s benefit.

Last week, The New York Times sued the Pentagon and Hegseth over limits on press reporting. They alleged that the ban “seeks to restrict journalists’ ability to do what journalists have always done – ask questions of government employees and gather information to report stories that take the public beyond official pronouncements”.  

View the full article