On Wednesday, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, scooped a left-wing media outlet that was preparing to publish a story about Hegseth supposedly lying about getting into the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Hegseth, a decorated combat veteran, posted photos of his acceptance letter from the academy in a now-viral post. The 44-year-old said he chose not to attend the academy after he was accepted.
“We understand that ProPublica (the Left Wing hack group) is planning to publish a knowingly false report that I was not accepted to West Point in 1999,” Hegseth wrote. “Here’s my letter of acceptance signed by West Point Superintendent, Lieutenant General Daniel Christman, US Army.”
We understand that ProPublica (the Left Wing hack group) is planning to publish a knowingly false report that I was not accepted to West Point in 1999.
Here’s my letter of acceptance signed by West Point Superintendent, Lieutenant General Daniel Christman, US Army. pic.twitter.com/UOhOVZSfhJ
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) December 11, 2024
ProPublica editor Jesse Eisinger said West Point told the outlet on two occasions that Hegseth did not even apply to the academy, but said after Hegseth’s people sent ProPublica the acceptance letter, they chose not to run with the story.
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“Hegseth has said that he got into West Point but didn’t attend,” Eisinger posted online. “We asked West Pt public affairs, which told us twice on the record that he hadn’t even applied there. We reached out. Hegseth’s spox gave us his acceptance letter. We didn’t publish a story. That’s journalism.”
Hegseth has said that he got into West Point but didn’t attend.
We asked West Pt public affairs, which told us twice on the record that he hadn’t even applied there.
We reached out. Hegseth’s spox gave us his acceptance letter.
We didn’t publish a story.
That’s journalism. https://t.co/TceZdglkmL
— Jesse Eisinger (@eisingerj) December 11, 2024
West Point told The Daily Wire that the discrepancy was due to an error and apologized.
“A review of our records indicates Peter Hegseth was offered admission to West Point in 1999 but did not attend,” the West Point directorate of communications said in a statement.
“An incorrect statement involving Hegseth’s admission to the U.S. Military Academy was released by an employee on Dec. 10, 2024,” the statement continued. “Upon further review of an archived database, employees realized this statement was in error. Hegseth was offered acceptance to West Point as a prospective member of the Class of 2003.”
“The academy takes this situation seriously and apologizes for this administrative error,” the directorate of communications added.
Related: ‘Pete Is A WINNER’: Trump Stands By Hegseth Amid Legacy Media Firestorm
