The Pentagon's Press Corps Now Consists of Right-Wing Bloggers and Conspiracy Theorists
In a shocking turn of events, the Pentagon's press corps has been transformed into a group of right-wing bloggers and conspiracy theorists. The move comes after most credentialed reporters from traditional media companies withdrew their passes in October due to a 21-page document that imposed restrictive conditions on journalistic activities.
The new crop of reporters, mostly pro-Trump figures with little background in journalism, were hastily welcomed by the Pentagon, which has taken a decidedly aggressive stance under the Trump administration. The shift has raised serious concerns about the integrity and accountability of the press corps.
One notable example is gCaptain's John Konrad, who described Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as having a "thousand-watt lightbulb of charisma" and urged people to thank military personnel for their role in capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Another right-wing blogger, Breanna Morello, celebrated the regime change strike, saying it was "endearing" to bomb the body of former President Hugo Chávez.
Lindell TV, an online streaming channel founded by conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell, has also joined the Pentagon press corps. The channel published an article praising Operation Absolute Resolve as a success, claiming that the US military's actions were necessary to demonstrate their superiority.
The new press corps has been accused of parroting official lines and lacking critical scrutiny. Melissa Wall, a journalism professor, noted that these influencers sound like "armchair warriors" who rely on press releases rather than conducting actual reporting.
White House Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson defended the new press corps, saying they are dedicated to telling the truth and holding the Department of War accountable. However, concerns over the Pentagon's servile press corps persist, particularly given Trump's aggressive posturing and threats against foreign territories like Greenland and the Panama canal.
The current state of the Pentagon's press corps raises questions about the need for an intelligent and sober journalist to hold those in power accountable. With a president who seems determined to erode any semblance of restraint, it is more crucial than ever that the press remains vigilant and independent.
In a shocking turn of events, the Pentagon's press corps has been transformed into a group of right-wing bloggers and conspiracy theorists. The move comes after most credentialed reporters from traditional media companies withdrew their passes in October due to a 21-page document that imposed restrictive conditions on journalistic activities.
The new crop of reporters, mostly pro-Trump figures with little background in journalism, were hastily welcomed by the Pentagon, which has taken a decidedly aggressive stance under the Trump administration. The shift has raised serious concerns about the integrity and accountability of the press corps.
One notable example is gCaptain's John Konrad, who described Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as having a "thousand-watt lightbulb of charisma" and urged people to thank military personnel for their role in capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Another right-wing blogger, Breanna Morello, celebrated the regime change strike, saying it was "endearing" to bomb the body of former President Hugo Chávez.
Lindell TV, an online streaming channel founded by conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell, has also joined the Pentagon press corps. The channel published an article praising Operation Absolute Resolve as a success, claiming that the US military's actions were necessary to demonstrate their superiority.
The new press corps has been accused of parroting official lines and lacking critical scrutiny. Melissa Wall, a journalism professor, noted that these influencers sound like "armchair warriors" who rely on press releases rather than conducting actual reporting.
White House Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson defended the new press corps, saying they are dedicated to telling the truth and holding the Department of War accountable. However, concerns over the Pentagon's servile press corps persist, particularly given Trump's aggressive posturing and threats against foreign territories like Greenland and the Panama canal.
The current state of the Pentagon's press corps raises questions about the need for an intelligent and sober journalist to hold those in power accountable. With a president who seems determined to erode any semblance of restraint, it is more crucial than ever that the press remains vigilant and independent.
think this is a joke right? these "journalists" cant even be bothered to fact-check anything, its just regurgitating whatever the gov tells them . and now they're complaining about criticism being unfair? 
come on guys, you're not even doing real journalism anymore
I'm seeing some red flags here. How did these right-wing bloggers and conspiracy theorists just waltz into the Pentagon's press corps? What kind of vetting process was even done on them? 
I need to see some sources on this one, like a list of who they are and how they got their passes. This doesn't smell like transparency at all. 
And what about these influencers just parroting official lines without any critical scrutiny? That's not journalism, that's just regurgitating propaganda. 
I need to see some evidence that the White House Press Secretary is being honest here. It sounds like a PR spin job to me. 
Can someone please do some digging on this and get back to me with some facts?
gotta wonder how much these bloggers were paid or what else they got out of this deal... think its a clear case of corruption here 
and whats with all the praise for trump?? seems like they're more interested in spewing propaganda than doing actual journalism 
. We need journalists who can do actual reporting, not just push their own agendas. It's time to #DemandBetterPress from our leaders! 
And what's up with the lack of journalistic integrity? I mean, these guys are basically just parroting whatever the Pentagon tells them without questioning anything. That's not journalism, that's just regurgitating official lines! 
I'm freaking out over this news! The Pentagon's press corps is basically just a bunch of right-wing bloggers now? Like what even happened to real journalists?! 
They're just parroting the admin's lines without any critical thinking or fact-checking... it's so concerning. And Lindell TV being part of it? 
That's just insane! How are we supposed to trust what they're saying when they're basically just spewing conspiracy theories and propaganda?! 
I need some real reporting done here, you know? Not this armchair warrior nonsense. We need journalists who can actually question the powers that be, not just regurgitate whatever they get told by PR reps 
. This is like a nightmare come true for me... the thought of all these credentialed reporters quitting because they couldn't deal with the restrictive conditions and then being replaced by people who are basically enemies of the press... it's just not good, man 
.
And it's not just about the journalists who left, it's about the whole credibility of the press 
. And Lindell TV? 
& fact-check everything 
. We need REAL journalists who can hold those in power accountable 
. Can't we just get some real journalists who know what they're doing to cover this stuff? 
