Hegseth Faces Backlash Over Pentagon Makeup Studio Claims

[Ryan Robertson]

NOTHING SAYS WARRIORS ETHOS LIKE A NEW MAKEUP STUDIO AT THE PENTAGON, RIGHT?

SO, PETE HEGSETH–THE U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE– IS FACING ANOTHER CONTROVERSY.
DON’T WORRY, THOUGH, IT’S NOTHING REALLY ALL THAT SERIOUS AND HE’S NOT BEING ACCUSED OF USING A THIRD-PARTY MESSAGING APP TO SHARE CLASSIFIED MATERIAL AGAIN.
NO, THIS TIME THE SECDEF IS UNDER FIRE FROM CRITICS FOR INSTALLING A MAKEUP STUDIO AT THE PENTAGON.

AND GIVEN ALL THE DANGEROUS SITUATIONS AROUND THE WORLD THAT THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON RIGHT NOW–
THIS LATEST CONTROVERSY SEEMS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT–HE SAID SARCASTICALLY…

CBS NEWS WAS THE FIRST TO REPORT THE FORMER FOX NEWS HOST AND NOW CABINET-LEVEL OFFICIAL INSTRUCTED STAFF AT THE PENTAGON TO INSTALL A NEW MIRROR AND LIGHTS IN THE GREEN ROOM BEHIND THE PENTAGON’S PRESS BRIEFING ROOM. A DIRECTOR’S CHAIR WAS SET UP IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR TOO–BECAUSE TAKE IT FROM ME–IT’S EASIER TO PUT ON MAKE UP WHILE SITTING DOWN.

SINCE TAKING OVER THE PENTAGON’S TOP OFFICE, SECRETARY HEGSETH HAS NOT HOSTED ANY PRESS BRIEFINGS IN THE BRIEFING ROOM. HE DOES USE THE SPACE TO HOLD MEETINGS, THOUGH, AND MAKES REGULAR TV APPEARANCES FROM THERE AS WELL.

THE GREEN ROOM BEHIND THE BRIEFING ROOM IS USED BY OFFICIALS PREPARING TO SPEAK TO THE PRESS, AND A DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OFFICIAL TOLD CBS THE UPGRADES WEREN’T ALL THAT EXPENSIVE, JUST A FEW THOUSANDS DOLLARS. WHICH IS LESS THAN A DROP IN THE BUCKET WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE PENTAGON’S ANNUAL BUDGET IS AROUND $850 BILLION.

HOWEVER, CRITICS ARGUE SPENDING MONEY ON A ROOM FOR THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE TO DO HIS MAKEUP RUNS COUNTER TO THE SECDEF’S MISSION OF BRINGING BACK THE WARRIOR ETHOS TO THE PENTAGON, AND ISN’T THE BEST USE OF TAXPAYER FUNDS.

THE DOD CONFIRMED THE UPGRADES WERE DONE, BUT SECRETARY HEGSETH POSTED ON X, THE SOCIAL MEDIA SITE FORMERLY KNOWN AS TWITTER, THAT THE STORY WAS “FAKE NEWS” BECAUSE HE NEVER GAVE ANY ORDERS CONCERNING A MAKEUP STUDIO. HEGSETH WENT ON TO SUGGEST HE SHOULD HAVE ORDERED TAMPON MACHINES TO BE INSTALLED IN THE MEN’S RESTROOMS AT THE PENTAGON BECAUSE “THE LEFTIST NEWS MEDIA WOULD HAVE LOVED THAT.”

AND AS A VIDEO-BASED JOURNALIST WHO DOES HAVE TO WEAR MAKEUP–THERE IS ONE THING I THINK IS NOTABLE HERE. THE UPGRADES TO THE MAKEUP STUDIO DID NOT INCLUDE THE ADDITION OF ANY NEW STAFF. CBS SAYS THE PENTAGON DIDN’T NEED TO HIRE MAKEUP ARTISTS, BECAUSE SECRETARY HEGSETH DOES HIS OWN.

HEY IF YOU LIKE UPDATES LIKE THIS AND WANT MORE UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACTS–DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY.