Reporters from tabloid news organization TMZ made an unusual appearance at a Pentagon press briefing on Friday, posing unconventional questions to War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The newly arrived TMZ DC reporters raised questions about Hegseth’s psychological and physiological reactions to wartime decisions and the department’s future namesake during the briefing that focused on the latest updates on the Iran war.
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Following questions about operational technicalities and classified information leaks, the war secretary pointed to the TMZ reporters for their questions, offering a sly grin as Jacob Wasserman asked Hegseth what goes through his mind and body when handing down orders to carry out violence.
“That’s a very TMZ question,” Hegseth said. “My only thought process is to ensure that our war fighters have everything they need to be successful. I want them to feel empowered, to have every authority they need, within our rules and within our law, to bring maximum violence because war is violent or requires doing difficult things.”
Hegseth then said he’ll give the celebrity news outlet’s other reporter “one chance” to ask another question.
TMZ’s Charlie Cotton asked if Hegseth would consider changing the Department of War to the “Department of Peace,” as the agency has already undergone a renaming under the Trump administration. Cotton noted that peace is “what we’re all after.”
“That’s a great question, actually,” Hegseth said, tilting his head in surprise. “You go from defense to war because you want to be proactive about peace through strength.… I gave a speech in front of generals about what the ethos of the War Department is all about, because I want it to go through every echelon of this department.”
TMZ has traditionally covered celebrity news, from popular musicians and movie stars to the women of the Real Housewives franchise.
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However, when the Department of Homeland Security shutdown paused paychecks for thousands of workers in February, and lawmakers subsequently took a spring break, founder Harvey Levin launched a team in the capital to “shame” lawmakers for vacationing while employees went without pay.
Levin has previously said the expansion is something the organization has been pursuing for the last 10 years, but the DHS shutdown opened the door to implementing TMZ’s vision.
