The US Department of Defense has hired multiple retired military officers with large followings on social media for civilian roles at the Pentagon.
Among those reportedly hired are retired Air Force Colonel Rob Maness and retired Army Colonel Kurt Schlichter. Pentagon records show that both had official government email addresses and were assigned to the office of Anthony Tata, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. These positions can allow people to work for the government for a limited period and can be either full-time or part-time, depending on the appointment. During their visit, the three men met students and professors and asked questions about military leadership and courses. Some students were reportedly unsure about how openly they could speak, fearing that their answers could have consequences if they upset administration officials.
Because some of the influencers continued posting political views on social media without publicly disclosing their government positions, this issue has come to light. Under the rule mentioned in the report, an SGE can work for the government for no more than 130 days in any 365-day period.
The report states that the men are working either as “special government employees” or “highly qualified experts”. In July, conservative influencer Jennica Pounds said she had become a special government employee at the Defense Department.
She had earlier worked as a journalist in Hegseth’s new Pentagon press corps.
The former officers have publicly backed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his policies.
They have also criticised people who questioned the Trump administration, according to a Washington Post report .
