‘I Can’t Believe It Was Published’: WaPo Attacks Hegseth For Protecting His Family

The Washington Post got slammed after it published a report attacking Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for the security personnel protecting his family.

“Hegseth’s expansive security requirements tax Army protective unit,” the Post headline claimed, followed by a report about Hegseth’s “unusually large personal security requirements.”

The article referred to Hegseth’s family residences in Minnesota, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C., while using the typical leftist media tactic of quoting numerous anonymous sources.

The Post painted a conspiratorial picture to target Hegseth, quoting an unidentified “CID official, who like some others spoke on the condition of anonymity citing a fear of reprisal.” That nameless official claimed, “I’ve never seen this many security teams for one guy. Nobody has.”

The story went on to say that the Post “withheld several sensitive details gathered in the course of reporting this article, including the size of Hegseth’s protective details and the precise locations where they are assigned.”

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It quoted another anonymous person claiming, “We have complete inability to achieve our most basic missions,” adding that “people familiar with the matter” alleged that when Hegseth became Defense Secretary, “a call went out for many more” agents to protect his family.

“One person characterized the figure as ‘400 and going up.’ Another said it’s ‘over 500,’” The Post reported.

Finally, in paragraph 14, the Post acknowledged, “Shortly after Hegseth was nominated to become defense secretary, a bomb threat was made against his home in Tennessee.” But that was immediately followed by this: “Hegseth, 45, a former National Guard officer and Fox News personality, was among Trump’s most polarizing Cabinet selections, and his tenure thus far has been mired in tumult.”

“CID protection has on occasion extended to Pete Hegseth’s and Jennifer Hegseth’s former spouses to protect the children, two of the officials said. Two other officials called this arrangement unusual. Another said it was something they had never seen before in their many years at the agency,” the Post reported.

Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell harshly criticized the Post, writing on X:

In the wake of two assassinations attempts against President Trump, ICE agents facing a 1000% increase in assaults, and repeated threats of retaliation from Iran for striking their nuclear capabilities, it’s astonishing that the Washington Post is criticizing a high-ranking cabinet official for receiving appropriate security protection, especially after doxxing the DHS Secretary last week. Any action pertaining to the security of Secretary Hegseth and his family has been in response to the threat environment and at the full recommendation the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID). When left-wing blogs like the Washington Post continue to dox cabinet secretaries’ security protocols and movements, it puts lives at risk.

In the wake of two assassinations attempts against President Trump, ICE agents facing a 1000% increase in assaults, and repeated threats of retaliation from Iran for striking their nuclear capabilities, it’s astonishing that the Washington Post is criticizing a high-ranking… https://t.co/39SfiZOyPo

— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellUSA) August 20, 2025

Defense Department Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson echoed, “By publishing details about Secretary Hegseth’s security protocols, the Washington Post is actively putting him and his family in danger for clicks. These ‘reporters’ are disgusting.”

By publishing details about Secretary Hegseth’s security protocols, the Washington Post is actively putting him and his family in danger for clicks.

These “reporters” are disgusting. https://t.co/1rVpxlRdk8

— Kingsley Wilson (@PressSecDOD) August 20, 2025

“This is a shameful story,” John Podhoretz, editor of Commentary, posted. “I can’t believe it was published. If there are threats to a cabinet secretary’s life and family, protection is not only acceptable but necessary to safeguard the workings of our government, no matter what your ludicrous sources claim. Just to follow up a little: Ask anyone with security details if it’s some kind of exciting reward to have a security detail. It’s not. It’s intrusive, agents are omnipresent, and it makes living life harder, not easier.”

Just to follow up a little: Ask anyone with security details if it’s some kind of exciting reward to have a security detail. It’s not. It’s intrusive, agents are omnipresent, and it makes living life harder, not easier.

— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) August 20, 2025

Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch declared, “Leftists running @WashingtonPost and Deep Staters at Pentagon complain and disclose details about security for @SecDef @PeteHegseth  (including his children and family). Another dangerous targeting story from the Left WPOST on Trump Cabinet. (They just ran a targeting piece on  @Sec_Noem.) Does the WPOST want to get Trump Cabinet officials killed, @JeffBezos ?”

Leftists running @WashingtonPost and Deep Staters at Pentagon complain and disclose details about security for @SecDef @PeteHegseth (including his children and family). Another dangerous targeting story from the Left WPOST on Trump Cabinet. (They just ran a targeting piece on…

— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) August 20, 2025