this post was submitted on 24 Jul 2026
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A senior Pentagon official has been placed on leave after he was secretly filmed criticizing President Donald Trump's administration and the changes it has implemented at the Department of Defense.

Right-wing activist James O'Keefe released a video on Wednesday reportedly showing Brandon Newsom, a senior official in the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, being filmed with a hidden camera. Newsweek has not independently verified the footage.

In the footage, Newsom can be heard saying that he wanted to "stay and stick it out" at the Pentagon, adding: "So that way, when the time comes, I can undo whatever's been done [by the Trump administration]." When asked about what he would undo, he talked of "a lot of times" when working at the Pentagon "challenges my morals," saying he would not have "one specific prayer service" and undo employee "schedule policy."

He also called Trump "a textbook narcissist" and described the Iran war as "completely stupid" and "driven by one man's ego."

Good to know there's still good people in the military (1 less now, but this show they're there).

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[–] mrmaplebar@fedia.io 11 points 4 hours ago

The right loves censorship.

[–] zarathustrad@lemmy.world 4 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

Draining the swamp, of the beneficial species, so they can continue to infest it with slime.

[–] Adderbox76@lemmy.ca 8 points 4 hours ago

Gotta look out for those telescreens, Winston.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 19 points 6 hours ago

I don't know that anyone who has participated in the murder and oppression of others to maintain business interests and dollar hegemony are exactly "good."

~~Right~~Reich-wing activist James O'Keefe

Oh, this guy again. Go figure.

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 5 points 5 hours ago

They should have promoted him.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 7 points 7 hours ago

“He insulted Hitler? Well what’d he think, he’d get a promotion?”

The story isn’t the guy at the Pentagon. Well, not that guy anyway.

[–] altkey@lemmy.dbzer0.com -1 points 3 hours ago

We blame politicians all the time for both just leaving their position or still being a part of it, there is no win on just morals before there's some result. And if this person was genuine about being an insider in the nazi bar, he could've learnt how to stay there undetected. Now we are presented with evidence conflicting his story of being secretly a good guy because the good guy part never happened and what we have is a retired official who did get along with what was happening before he got dumped and started to tell unconvicning stories. What he'd do now is the question, and I doubt he'd do anything, but it could be funny if he could leak some another damning info of how the second Iran war goes as he had access to real data.

[–] Jhex@lemmy.world 7 points 8 hours ago (2 children)

Good to know there’s still good people in the military (1 less now, but this show they’re there).

Not sure I would say that a person that is doing something they admit to know is/was wrong "good people"

[–] HazardousBanjo@lemmy.world 44 points 8 hours ago (2 children)

I'm conflicted.

On one hand, I think people should leave their positions if they're being used for evil.

On the other hand, how do we adequately resist fascism without people on the inside at the highest levels willing to side against the fascists when the opportunity presents itself?

I'm not absolving this guy for anything he may have contributed to the fascist agenda, but having people on the inside to resist it is necessary. Few of those people will ever be squeaky clean.

[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 7 points 8 hours ago (2 children)

On the other other hand, hopefully when people like that leave an organization (military or a company in general) they take a knowledge base and experience with them, making things dumber and less efficient.

But I agree, I'd rather have a mole on the inside doing what good they can to block the march to evil.

[–] impairedimperator@lemmy.zip 8 points 8 hours ago

They do!

The knowledge base that is leaving are the people that understand that starting random wars is stupid.

[–] Jhex@lemmy.world 2 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

But I agree, I’d rather have a mole on the inside doing what good they can to block the march to evil.

If this person was doing that, then I would reconsider my opinion but it looks (from the post) that he was not resisting and just hoping to be around to clean some of the mess later...

The problem here is that his job is not making a bug free video game... his job is ultimately to kill people so I find it hard to accept it is OK for him to do that but just regret it a little and that means he is a good person

[–] zarathustrad@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago) (1 children)

So, you prefer the timeline where all honest and good high ranking military either immediately resign in protest, or "resist" which will mean immediate termination and possible charges. Vs the one where they maintain position and stay ready to resit when it might matter?

[–] Jhex@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

Absolutely!... if the USA had staged a general strike, the child rapist regime would have ended in 3 months

If the "honest and good" military ranking had put a stop to this, literally THOUSANDS of lives would not have been wasted in vain.

These "honest and good" are not ready to resist... they are simply doing evil things while knowing they are evil things in hopes of what? are they going to rebuild Iran? are they going to the Caribbean to pay reparations for playing target practice with whatever boat they destroyed?

[–] Jhex@lemmy.world 2 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

I’m conflicted.

Completely understandable

On one hand, I think people should leave their positions if they’re being used for evil.

We are not just talking about "evil" here as in "following orders means this washing machine will not be as reliable as I could make it". In this case we are talking about extreme cases as in "following orders means humans will be slaughtered for no reason at all"

On the other hand, how do we adequately resist fascism without people on the inside at the highest levels willing to side against the fascists when the opportunity presents itself?

Is that what is happening? because what I read was that this person disagreed but followed orders anyway, and just the slightest criticism got him canned... how was he resisting fascism in any way?

I’m not absolving this guy for anything he may have contributed to the fascist agenda, but having people on the inside to resist it is necessary. Few of those people will ever be squeaky clean.

Again, I agree but where is the evidence of ANY resistance?

[–] zarathustrad@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Well, the act of criticism is grounds for immediate dismissal.

So what specific resistance are you looking for? That would not simply be the same as walking away, only with added steps and possible retaliation?

[–] Jhex@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago

So what specific resistance are you looking for?

They should have literally voiced their concern and refused to follow illegal commands

You cannot pretend to be a good person when you do evil things, knowing they are evil, simply because you want to save your own status...

[–] Talaraine@fedia.io 8 points 8 hours ago (2 children)

Not gonna downvote you because that is my immediate gut reaction too. But Trump is actively trying to purge anyone who isn't a fascist bootlicker, and if that happens Trump can literally do anything.

I'm a black/white kind of person and I really struggle with this, but am trying to keep a broader perspective.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 1 points 6 hours ago

Life ain't black and white, and it's extremely callow to expect it.

[–] Jhex@lemmy.world 2 points 8 hours ago

But Trump is actively trying to purge anyone who isn’t a fascist bootlicker, and if that happens Trump can literally do anything.

I believe the orange child rapist has already achieved this... what is he not allowed to do?

I understand the concept of what you are saying but this individual was not resisting at all, just begrudgingly doing what his fascist bosses told him to. He was helping fascism just as much as the bootlickers (probably more because those bootlickers tend to be incredibly inept)