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** OPINION
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** Real reporters left the Pentagon. A new partisan crew just took their seats.
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Laura Loomer, shown here in September 2024. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola, File)

You might remember that in October, every credentialed newsroom with an office inside the Pentagon had to pack up and move out. That’s because they refused to sign a new press policy that prohibits journalists from accessing or soliciting information that the Defense Department doesn’t make available to them, including even unclassified information.

Reporters from places such as ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post and even Fox News, just to name a few, did the right thing. They refused to be told what they could and could not report on.

So they turned in their badges, put their stuff in boxes and left.

In their place, a motley crew of right-wing sycophants from places such as One America News, The Federalist and LindellTV — as in Mike Lindell, the conspiracy theorist pillow guy.

This week, the Pentagon is welcoming in this new crew that had no problems signing onto the Pentagon’s restrictions.

The Washington Post’s Scott Nover wrote ([link removed]) , “Many of the new signatories are based outside the Washington area and have not picked up their badges. The events, to run Monday through Wednesday, give them a chance to receive their credentials and interact with department officials. Press secretary Kingsley Wilson is scheduled to conduct a briefing for the new media crew, which is then set to have a meet-and-greet and press gaggle with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.”

A bunch showed up Monday and, apparently, they’re all sitting at a desk formerly used by The Washington Post. Several of these so-called “reporters,” including right-wing activist Laura Loomer, posted on social media that they were now using the desk formerly used by the Post’s Dan Lamothe.

In fact, Lamothe took screenshots of three different folks claiming to be using his old desk and then wrote ([link removed]) , “Y'all are going to have to work this one out for yourselves.”

Lamothe also posted ([link removed]) , “By my count, I've got at least two or three desks left at the Pentagon. Lost count.”

Loomer had earlier posted ([link removed]) , “The Washington Post @washingtonpost and Dan Lamothe @DanLamothe used to occupy this desk inside the Pentagon Press room. Now it’s mine!”

To which Lamothe responded by saying ([link removed]) , “May it treat you well on your occasional trips to Washington, Laura. I assume it'll sit empty much of the time, as it has for weeks now.”

Before I wrap up this item, perhaps it needs to be repeated: Laura Loomer has a credential to cover the Department of Defense from inside the Pentagon. She hosts a podcast and calls herself an investigative journalist.

But The Mirror’s Fernando Alba called Loomer a “conspiracy theorist” and put it this way ([link removed]) : “Loomer, 32, a right-wing personality and failed congressional candidate in Florida, became a loyalty enforcer for Trump after he returned to office in January. With Trump’s ear, she’s shaken up personnel in his administration, leading to the firings of six National Security Council aides in April after meeting with them.”


** Speaking of the Pentagon …
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The Atlantic’s Tom Nichols has a new piece out: “Pete Hegseth Needs to Go — Now.” ([link removed])

Nichols writes, “The halls of the Pentagon are apparently strewn with rakes these days, and Hegseth has managed to step on almost all of them, including security blunders, needless fights with the press, and envious, unmanly whining about the medals on the uniform of Senator Mark Kelly, a veteran of higher rank and far greater achievement than Hegseth himself.”

Like his boss (Trump), Hegseth also seems determined to get back at his perceived enemies.

But there’s more going on than that.

Nichols writes, “Now, however, Hegseth is in new and far more dangerous territory. The Washington Post reported last Friday that, back in September, Hegseth ordered the killing of the survivors of the first strike against what the administration says are terrorist-controlled drug boats. If this report is accurate, it means that Hegseth issued what is called a ‘no quarter’ order, a crime in both American and international law.”

If this is true, we’re talking about war crimes.

Trump defended Hegseth on Sunday night, telling reporters Hegseth did not order the killing of crew members aboard a vessel suspected of smuggling drugs in the Caribbean Sea back in September.

Trump said, “I believe him, 100%.”

On Monday night, The New York Times’ Charlie Savage, Julian E. Barnes, Eric Schmitt and John Ismay wrote, “Hegseth Ordered a Lethal Attack but Not the Killing of Survivors, Officials Say.” ([link removed])

The Times’ David E. Sanger and Helene Cooper wrote, “For Trump, Hegseth’s Take-No-Prisoners Approach Is a Growing Liability.” ([link removed])


** Trying to explain
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As I wrote in Monday’s newsletter ([link removed]) , the White House has launched a website ([link removed]) that calls out what officials believe is “fake news.” The blaring headline across the top reads, “Misleading. Biased. Exposed.” The site then goes on to list the news outlets, reporters and stories the Trump administration, essentially, disagrees with.

On Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about the new site by conservative commentator John Fredericks.

Leavitt said, “I’m glad you noticed — much to the dismay of some of your colleagues in the room, John. And I think it goes to our original promise on day one to hold the media accountable because, unfortunately — and we deal with this all day, every day around here — there are so many fake stories that are unfortunately written, that have inaccurate characterizations of meetings that took place.”

Leavitt continued, “And it’s all based on anonymous sourcing and, you know, the standard for journalism unfortunately has dropped to such a historic low in this country. And, again, we deal with it every day where you can have an anonymous source who has no idea what they’re talking about, zero credibility, call up a reporter in Washington and say, ‘Hey, I heard this.’ And then the next thing you know, it’s on the front page of The New York Times. It’s really incomprehensible.”

Leavitt then talked about a pair of New York Times stories that she believes showed how Donald Trump is covered differently from President Joe Biden. She used words like “fake news” and defended Trump’s work schedule.

One of the stories Leavitt was referring to was a Nov. 25 story written by Times’ Katie Rogers and Dylan Freedman: “Shorter Days, Signs of Fatigue: Trump Faces Realities of Aging in Office.” ([link removed])

In that lengthy and detailed story, Rogers and Freedman wrote that their analysis shows Trump is seen less in this second term than he was in his first term. On average, most of his public appearances fall between noon and 5 p.m.

They added, “And when he is in public, occasionally, his battery shows signs of wear. During an Oval Office event that began around noon on Nov. 6, Mr. Trump sat behind his desk for about 20 minutes as executives standing around him talked about weight-loss drugs. At one point, Mr. Trump’s eyelids drooped until his eyes were almost closed, and he appeared to doze on and off for several seconds. At another point, he opened his eyes and looked toward a line of journalists watching him. He stood up only after a guest who was standing near him fainted and collapsed.”


** Cheering on the president
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Over the weekend, President Donald Trump played golf with professional golfer Brooks Koepka, hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and Fox News host Bret Baier. Some are raising eyebrows at the video of Baier cheering on Trump ([link removed]) for chipping in a shot from just off the green.

The xxxxxx’s Tim Miller posted on social media ([link removed]) , “That’s the ‘straight news’ anchor at Fox, @BretBaier cheering like his kid just won The Masters following Trump’s chip.”

Yeah, honestly, it’s not a good look for Baier to be acting so chummy with Trump (imagine the reaction if Anderson Cooper or David Muir acted that way around Joe Biden or Barack Obama). Think Fox News had a problem with it? Apparently not, since it was the official Fox News X account that tweeted out the video.


** The Atlantic’s revived fellowship
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Here’s something that might interest recent college graduates and young journalists. The Atlantic is reviving its editorial fellowship program — a yearlong opportunity for recent college graduates or early-career journalists to join The Atlantic’s newsroom. The program will run from July 2026 and June 2027. This year’s class will have six fellows. Applications are open now through Jan. 16. Go here ([link removed]) for the application and more information.


** Two legends unite
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(Courtesy: ESPN and Turner Sports)

Sports fans, particularly those who closely follow basketball, have strong opinions about ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale and Charles Barkley, the longtime studio analyst for “Inside the NBA.”

I’m a huge fan of both.

Regardless of whether you enjoy their work, you must admit that both men have a true passion for the sport of basketball.

So that makes this news cool: They will join forces to call two college games this season.

They will call the Dec. 13 game between Indiana and Kentucky with play-by-play announcer Dave O’Brien. And then they will call their first-ever NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament game as part of TNT Sports and CBS Sports’ First Four coverage. The play-by-play announcer for that game will be shared at a later date.

Calling an NCAA Tournament game on TV will be a dream come true for the 86-year-old Vitale. I’ve known Vitale for many years and he has often told me that the one thing he has always wanted to do was call a March Madness game on TV. He has called more than 1,000 games on ESPN since 1979, but ESPN has never had the rights to the NCAA Men’s Tournament.

In a statement, Burke Magnus, ESPN’s president of content, said, “Dick and Charles are two of the most entertaining and iconic voices in basketball, so having them together on the same broadcast is a true gift for fans. We are thrilled to have it come to fruition, especially for a marquee college basketball rivalry game like Indiana-Kentucky in primetime on ESPN.”


** Media tidbits
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* Olivia Nuzzi’s new book, “American Canto,” comes out today as Nuzzi is in the middle of a firestorm of controversy. Columbia Journalism Review’s Carolina Abbott Galvão writes about it in “Writing Her Way Out.” ([link removed])
* Meanwhile, Semafor’s Max Tani writes, “Vanity Fair expected to let Olivia Nuzzi’s contract lapse, insiders say.” ([link removed])
* And one more: Mediaite’s Sarah Rumpf with “Ryan Lizza Posts Part 4 of His Substack Series Bashing Ex-Fiancée Olivia Nuzzi With Frustrating Update on the Mar-A-Lago Tape.” ([link removed])
* The New York Times’ Cecilia Kang, Tripp Mickle, Ryan MacDavid Yaffe-Bellany and Theodore Schleifer with “Silicon Valley’s Man in the White House Is Benefiting Himself and His Friends.” ([link removed])
* Nieman Lab’s Andrew Deck with “Politico management violated key AI adoption safeguards, arbitrator finds.” ([link removed])
* My Poynter colleague, Roy Peter Clark, with “Why I’m begging TV showrunners to stop writing journalists as villains.” ([link removed])
* And here’s my Poynter colleague, Kristen Hare, with “Want to tell your own story? Try memoir-plus.” ([link removed])
* Deadline’s Patrick Hipes with “Melania Trump Launches Production Company As Her Documentary Release Date Nears.” ([link removed])
* The Washington Post’s Niha Masih with “Daniel Woodrell, gritty novelist of ‘Winter’s Bone,’ dies at 72.” ([link removed]) (Just as an aside, if you’ve never seen the movie version of “Winter’s Bone” starring a young Jennifer Lawrence, you need to right away. It can be a tough watch, but the story and acting, especially from Lawrence and John Hawkes, are outstanding.


** Hot type
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* This is a few days old, but worth the fun read. It’s The Athletic’s Meg Linehan with “What makes a great women’s sports city? We ranked the top 10 in the U.S.” ([link removed])


** More resources for journalists
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* Join 650+ women leaders transformed by this leadership program since 2015. Apply by Dec. 15 ([link removed]) .
* Stop wasting hours on repetitive tasks — automate them instead.Learn how ([link removed]) .
* Access alist of mental health reporting resources ([link removed]) on funding, source-building and more.
* Experienced leaders: Amplify your managerial strengths, navigate ethical decision-making and strategize ahead of difficult conversations. Space is limited. Apply by Jan. 23 ([link removed]) .

Have feedback or a tip? Email Poynter senior media writer Tom Jones at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

The Poynter Report is your daily dive into the world of media, packed with the latest news and insights. Get it delivered to your inbox Monday through Friday by signing up here ([link removed]) . And don’t forget to tune into our biweekly podcast ([link removed]) for even more.
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