Defense Secretary Hegseth Accidentally Posts Screenshot of Article Undermining His Own Claim

Hegseth Shares Article That Accidentally Undermines His Own Claim

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth unintentionally contradicted himself on Friday when he shared a screenshot of a news article praising the elimination of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) roles at the Department of Defense (DOD)—but overlooked a crucial detail in the same article that undercut his claim. Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Screenshot Misses Key Detail: Congress, Not Trump, Drove DEI Cuts

Hegseth posted the Defense One headline on X, formerly Twitter, writing, "As we said from day one: DEI is DEAD at DOD." The article, titled "There’s no more DEI at DOD, watchdog finds," appeared to back his assertion. However, he appeared to overlook the subheadline, which clarified that the majority of the positions were eliminated last year through congressional action—not by the Trump administration. Win McNamee-Pool via Imagn Images

GAO Report: Most DEI Roles Cut Under 2024 Law, Not Executive Action

The article referenced a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which found that DEI-related positions at the DOD dropped from 115 to 41 by July 2024. This reduction was mandated by a provision in the 2024 annual defense policy bill passed by Congress. The remaining positions were later dissolved to align with executive orders from President Donald Trump aimed at dismantling DEI infrastructure across federal agencies. David Dilbert / Pexels

Watchdog Details How Pentagon Eliminated Remaining DEI Positions

According to the GAO’s website, the watchdog reviewed DOD staffing data across civilian, military, and contractor roles involved in DEI policy. "In response to the law, DOD reduced its DEI workforce. DOD further eliminated all remaining DEI positions to implement the executive orders," the agency's website states. Fry1989 / Wikimedia

Trump Administration Issued Orders Targeting DEI Programs; Legal Challenges Follow

Hegseth’s post follows a string of DEI-related actions by the administration. Trump issued several executive orders during his first week back in office targeting diversity programs in government and business. These orders are now the subject of legal challenges and have drawn criticism from civil rights advocates. The White House / Wikimedia