Update In Nominee Story Raises Eyebrows
Freedom Wire

Update In Nominee Story Raises Eyebrows

ProPublica’s attempt to discredit Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense, has backfired spectacularly, leaving egg not on Hegseth’s face, but squarely on their own. The nonprofit newsroom set its sights on Hegseth’s West Point application, hoping to spin it into a narrative about dishonesty and unfitness for office. Instead, it ended with ProPublica scrambling to walk back a botched hit job after Hegseth produced undeniable proof that they—and West Point—got it wrong.

ProPublica’s initial story hinged on a claim by West Point that Hegseth had never applied to the academy. The implication? That Hegseth was lying about even attempting to join the storied institution—a suggestion that, in their eyes, made him unsuitable for the top Pentagon role. But their narrative collapsed in spectacular fashion when Hegseth produced his acceptance letter from West Point. That’s right: not only had Hegseth applied, but he was accepted. He simply chose not to attend.

Faced with irrefutable evidence, ProPublica quickly abandoned the story, with editors claiming they dropped it after receiving “clarification” because “that’s journalism.” Spare us the sanctimony. Emails between ProPublica staff and Hegseth’s attorney tell a different story. The outlet wasn’t pursuing truth—they were gunning for Hegseth’s reputation. Worse, they gave him only an hour to respond, a blatant tactic to pressure their target and ensure he couldn’t effectively counter the lie before publication.

Equally damning is the role of West Point, which twice claimed that Hegseth had not applied. Their falsehood wasn’t just a clerical error—it became ammunition in an attempt to smear a man’s character. The academy’s willingness to spread misinformation raises serious questions about its own credibility. Why did West Point’s statements contradict verifiable facts? And why was ProPublica so eager to trust them without basic fact-checking?

Let’s not pretend this was a good-faith investigation. ProPublica’s emails reveal a clear intent to tie the bogus West Point claim to Hegseth’s suitability for the Secretary of Defense role. Their narrative was ready to go: Hegseth lied, therefore he’s unfit to lead the Pentagon. They weren’t pursuing journalism; they were crafting an attack.

But the kill shot missed, and Hegseth turned the tables, exposing not only ProPublica’s sloppy reporting but also West Point’s own disinformation. The story ProPublica should have run is about how an institution as prestigious as West Point could make such a glaring error—not once, but twice—and how their falsehoods nearly became a weapon in a political smear campaign.

Written by [email protected] - December 15, 2024