'What the hell?' Bizarre videos plucked from Pentagon staffers' private chats jolt experts
Source: raw story
Tom Boggioni March 19, 2026 7:37AM ET
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's approach to war messaging has devolved into pure spectacle TikTok-style video montages splicing missile strikes into movie clips and video game footage leaving military veterans and Congress members stunned by the brazenness of treating armed conflict like entertainment content.
According to Politico, the White House communications team has churned out more than half a dozen of these viral videos, apparently plucked straight from staffers' private group chats. But outside the administration bubble, the reaction has ranged from bewilderment to outright revulsion.
Former military brass are particularly appalled. "I don't think the performance of our men and women in uniform requires embellishment from Hollywood or computer games," said Joe Votel, a former Central Command chief under Trump's first administration. "They represent the American people quite well on their own."
Retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, who commanded U.S. troops in Europe during Obama's presidency, was even blunter. "It just seems detached from reality. Our allies look at this and they wonder what the hell is going on? It doesn't look like we're serious."
.......................
Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/what-the-hell-2676346998/
Petey most likely will not like the picture included in the article!!
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's approach to war messaging has devolved into pure spectacle TikTok-style video montages splicing missile strikes into movie clips and video game footage leaving military veterans and Congress members stunned by the brazenness..
www.rawstory.com/what-the-hel...
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's approach to war messaging has devolved into pure spectacle â TikTok-style video montages splicing missile strikes into movie clips and video game footage â leaving military veterans and Congress members stunned by the brazenness..
— (@oceancalm.bsky.social) 2026-03-19T13:50:13.939Z
www.rawstory.com/what-the-hel...
Ocelot II
(130,360 posts)UpInArms
(54,889 posts)This clown show is going to end badly
tanyev
(49,194 posts)Huh.
Martin Eden
(15,562 posts)Ignorant, immature, unqualified, dishonest, vain, cruel, corrupt, criminal ... and deadly.
BattleRow
(2,377 posts)Martin Eden
(15,562 posts)But most of those descriptions are inherent characteristics.
Really ! How many of these cabinet clowns are carrying a Screen Actors Guild card ?
We can't be surprised at them acting their part with one script coddle the rapist
Ray Bruns
(6,292 posts)They are deplorable.
riversedge
(80,656 posts)and she was spot on!!
raging moderate
(4,618 posts)"Crying over" is the root meaning of the word "deplorable." It is not a vicious word. It suggests genuine disappointment in the persons being discussed, and genuine hope that they may someday realize and correct their mistakes.
angrychair
(12,223 posts)What is wrong with these people? All of them are just the most mentally challenged people I've ever seen in higher office. It's like I'm stuck in an insane asylum being run by the patients.
I think that is the part that gets me. Literally everything they do is some other unhinged brazenly illegal scheme to grift on people and steal our money.
I mean from a DNI that doesn't know her job to a head of the FBI, partying like a nepo-baby with daddy's Black card.
It's just a neverending cluster fuck of unserious people and I'm exhausted.
And their supporters? The audacity, the unhinged lunacy, to look at me and say, "oh you just have TDS. You can't think for yourself" while dressed like a literal clown: wearing a Trump hat, shirt, pants, socks and shoes, all officially licensed stuff from his store, with multiple trump or maga-themed flags and banners and yard signs and car stickers, all made in China, and then arrogantly lecturing me about "America first".
Seriously, fuck these people. Let me off this merry-go-round.
Wednesdays
(22,480 posts)
SergeStorms
(20,498 posts)when you promote the drunken Space Invaders "champion" at the local bar to SecDef.
kbowman
(19 posts)Does anyone think hegsmeth looks like Joe Isuzu in that tweet?
Midnight Writer
(25,336 posts)That is what got them elected, that is what keeps them in power; a bunch of slack-jawed yokels addicted to sex and violence as entertainment.
Crowman2009
(3,506 posts)Which I find quite relaxing.
But seriously, I want the federal government to be fully staffed & do it's job (and for the DoD to be slashed in half). Then we can all concentrate on the clusterfuck of a state & local government if we live in a red area.
NJCher
(43,064 posts)NY Times, posted on this thread, which I posted back on March 12.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100221093599
Title of the article is "The White House Goes to War by Any Meme Possible."
Here's the archive article:
http://archive.today/GijTu
pat_k
(13,295 posts)Very good article!
Wednesdays
(22,480 posts)Could you imagine LBJ, or even Nixon, making propaganda films evoking Superman and Batman "kicking ass" to sell the Vietnam War?
Crowman2009
(3,506 posts)Iran won't need to rely on Russia for any info on future ground attacks since this drunk SOB is bragging about it on social media constantly.
naftali
(19 posts)This is definitely unsettling. If even a portion of these reports is accurate, it raises major concerns about internal communication, professionalism, and security within such a critical institution. Incidents like this dont just damage credibilitythey also highlight the need for stricter oversight and clearer boundaries in official and private channels.