United States of America

Hegseth Staff Reportedly Damaged Eisenhower's WWII-Era Globe

Is this proof of Pentagon arrogance or just an office mishap blown up by a hostile press?

2 hours ago·Updated 1 hour ago

Hegseth Staff Reportedly Damaged Eisenhower's WWII-Era Globe

Story

Above: Pete Hegseth in Arlington, Va. on Oct. 21. Image credit: Mehmet Eser/Anadolu/Getty Images

The Facts

The Washington Post published a report Thursday that described staff for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth damaging a World War II-era globe said to have been used by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower while attempting to move it into Hegseth's Pentagon office.
The Washington Post
The movers reportedly lost control of the 30-inch (76 cm) globe, which crashed onto its base and was punctured near Antarctica, leaving a gash that appears several inches wide. Pentagon officials declined to provide a photo, though the Post obtained images of the damage.
The Washington Post
Army spokesman Christopher Surridge said that the globe was damaged during an attempted move Feb. 3, and that the spherical portion detached from the metal mounting that allows it to rotate. It was ultimately never relocated to the secretary's office.
Forbes
Time
Experts at the U.S. Army Center of Military History, who normally oversee the transport of such items, were furloughed during the partial government shutdown, so Hegseth's staff proceeded alone. The shutdown ended the same day the globe was damaged.
Raw Story
MS Now
A Defense Department statement said, "Accidents happen, we are grateful no one was harmed, and the globe is being repaired." A spokesperson also described the Post's coverage as an "inconsequential non-story." No repair cost or timeline was given.
Mediaite
The Washington Post

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

Hauling a priceless piece of American history around without trained curators is exactly the swaggering carelessness that now defines the Pentagon. Treating irreplaceable artifacts like office furniture says a lot about the lack of respect for history from the people in charge.

Andrew Weinstein on X

Occupy Democrats on X

Narrative B

An accident during an office move is just an accident, and inflating one into a national scandal says far more about the press than about the Pentagon. Mishaps happen everywhere, and none of that earns breathless coverage unless the target happens to be a political enemy.

Jim Hanson on X

Editor's Note

This story currently has limited coverage. We will continue to monitor all major outlets and update our reporting as additional information becomes available.