FREEDOM OF THE MESS

Pete Hegseth is trying to rein in the journalists who cover the Pentagon. It’s not working — and might just backfire.

• Imagine, some day in the future, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has a vital national security news to announce, a life-and-death update concerning the country’s future. He steps up to the podium in the Pentagon briefing room, looks out and sees… just a single reporter in a room full of empty chairs. And of all people, it’s the One America News host… Matt Gaetz.

• Could that happen? Maybe! That’s because Gaetz’s right-wing network is the only one that’s agreed to sign Hegseth’s draconian pledge, which requires reporters to avoid seeking out unauthorized information or areas of the building without a chaperone. Hegseth is so mad at reporters for digging up embarrassing dirt on his past that he’s trying to ban them from doing their jobs. (And, well, in fairness… I think few people would want their “personal life” section on Wikipedia to look like his!)

• “Pentagon access is a privilege, not a right,” Hegseth tweeted yesterday, announcing a new policy that would severely limit reporters’ access inside the Pentagon. He also compared reporting to criminal behavior.

• National news outlets are locking arms and refusing to sign this ridiculous document, which bucks over two centuries of American freedom of the press. That includes not just the New York Times, but also conservative outlets like Fox News, Newsmax and Washington Examiner. Only the ultra-pro-MAGA One America News — which hired creepy former Rep. Matt Gaetz after his failed attorney general bid — signed on. When The Atlantic announced its opposition, Hegseth replied: 👋. Do you think he’s still salty about Signalgate???

• “The policy is without precedent and threatens core journalistic protections,” reads a joint statement from Fox News, ABC News, CBS News, CNN and NBC News. “We will continue to cover the U.S. military as each of our organizations has done for many decades, upholding the principles of a free and independent press.”

Hegseth’s misguided idea might just prompt reporters to work even harder, and frustrated employees to leak even more.

• The Pentagon’s own spokespeople rarely brief the press anyway, making it difficult to know what’s going on inside America’s $1 trillion war machine. This debacle shines a light on the department’s historic disdain for the media, spearheaded by the former “Fox & Friends Weekend” co-host who now leads the most powerful military on Earth.

• “I’m glad the press is pushing back,” one longtime Defense Department employee told What A Day. “We get a lot of our info on WTF is going on from press reports, since the senior [Trump appointees] aren’t sharing much of anything with the workforce.”

• In reality, Hegseth is probably worried about what reporters will uncover next. For example: This morning, he ordered a fifth strike on a boat allegedly carrying drugs off the coast of Venezuela, killing six people. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle want more info on the strikes, which might violate international law… but the Pentagon just wants everyone to go along with it. Nothing to see here!

The “war secretary” often preaches about “warrior ethos.” He’s leading by example, shielding himself from press coverage… and then tweeting emojis at news outlets he doesn’t like. Very brave!

OBAMA DRAMA

Former President Barack Obama is stepping back into the political arena, in an attempt to counter Donald Trump’s efforts to tilt the midterm elections in the GOP’s favor.

“California, the whole nation is counting on you,” Obama says in a direct-to-camera ad that began airing today — urging voters to approve a new congressional map to score Democrats more seats in the House. “Democracy is on the ballot November 4th.”

It’s the latest in a high-stakes battle sparked by Trump, who successfully urged Republicans across the country to reshape their districts to help the GOP keep control of the House in 2026. (This is colloquially known as gerrymandering.)

“Republicans want to steal enough seats in Congress to rig the next election and wield unchecked power for two more years,” Obama continues. “You can stop Republicans in their tracks.”

Hours before the ad aired, North Carolina became the latest state to kiss Trump’s ring and announce gerrymandering plans. Republicans already control 10 of the state’s 14 House seats, but now they want another one.

“President Trump earned a clear mandate from the voters of North Carolina and the rest of the country, and we intend to defend it by drawing an additional Republican Congressional seat,” State Rep. Destin Hall, the Republican House speaker, said in a statement.

Fun fact: That’s not how democracy works!!!

WHAT ELSE?

Israeli drones opened fire on a group of Palestinians inspecting their homes in northern Gaza today, killing six people, according to a Palestinian news agency. Israel said its troops opened fire after the Palestinians approached the “yellow line” where soldiers withdrew under the current peace plan. Israel and Hamas accused each other of breaking the ceasefire deal, underscoring the fragility of the situation.

On that note, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced plans to rally world leaders to nominate Donald Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize next year. “No one has ever deserved that prize more,” Johnson told reporters.

The White House pledged to continue firing federal workers as the government shutdown drags into its second week. I’m not sure what Republicans’ plan is here: Make more people lose their jobs and cause their health care premiums to spike? That will be popular!

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto was caught on a hot mic asking Trump to set up a meeting between himself and one of the Trump sons, who don’t serve in government but do help run the president’s family business. “I’ll have Eric call. Should I do that? He’s such a good boy. I’ll have Eric call,” Trump said. Subianto responded: “Eric or Don Jr.” It’s a stunning example of how closely tied Trump’s business interests are to the presidency. This comically brazen corruption would also fit right at home in “Veep”.

Several young Republican leaders texted each other incredibly disturbing messages in a group chat, which included dozens of racist messages and praise for Adolf Hitler, according to messages obtained by Politico. “If we ever had a leak of this chat we would be cooked,” one member wrote.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) took a fresh shot at her own party, this time aiming Republican men in Congress. “There’s a lot of weak Republican men and they’re more afraid of strong Republican women,” Greene told the Washington Post. “So they always try to marginalize the strong Republican women that actually want to do something and actually want to achieve.” Keep it up, MTG!!!

Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) launched her Senate campaign today, setting up what’s bound to be a heated primary against 40-year-old oysterman Graham Platner, who has earned the blessings of prominent progressives. Seen as the establishment’s preferred candidate, Mills is 77 years old and would become the oldest freshman senator in history if she beats incumbent Susan Collins. As Crooked’s Dan Pfeiffer writes: “Party leaders may be repeating the same mistakes from 2024.”

Light at the End of the Email…

Donald Trump is hilariously pissed off at TIME Magazine for choosing a picture of him that kinda makes him look bald (even though the article inside praised him for the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal). “The picture may be the Worst of All Time,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “They ‘disappeared’ my hair, and then had something floating on top of my head that looked like a floating crown, but an extremely small one. Really weird!” What a snowflake!

Russia also got involved for some reason: “Only unhealthy people, people obsessed with malice and hatred — perhaps even freaks — could have chosen such a photo,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram.

The Supreme Court rejected Infowars’ founder Alex Jones’ appeal of the $1.4 billion defamation suit brought against him by the families of the Sandy Hook shooting victims. The case stems from his claim that the shooting was a hoax staged by crisis actors. “We look forward to … making Jones and Infowars pay for what they have done,” the families’ lawyer said in a statement.

Many airports around the country are refusing to air a video of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem blaming Democrats for the shutdown at security checkpoints. Officials overseeing these airports worry these videos might violate laws “that prohibit the use of public resources for political activity,” the Washington Post reported. Not that the Trump team cares, of course.

Naked cyclists took over the streets of Portland, Oregon to protest ICE over the weekend… and Mike Johnson was not amused. “The most threatening thing I’ve seen yet was the naked bicyclers in Portland who were protesting ICE. I mean, it’s getting really ugly,” he said. Stop attacking cities and the cyclists will put their clothes back on, deal?

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) signed a bill that would raise incarcerated firefighters’ pay to the federal $7.25 per hour minimum wage, after advocacy from celebrities including Kim Kardashian and John Legend. They previously were paid as little as $30 per day.