Pete Hegseth Preemptively Crushes Leftist Media Hit Piece Before It's Even Published - He Brought the Receipts

An effective way to identify individuals who challenge the establishment is by observing whom the mainstream media targets. Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, appears to be mastering the art of countering such attacks.

On Wednesday, Hegseth took to the social media platform X to preemptively respond to what he described as an imminent “hit piece” from ProPublica. The report allegedly questions his acceptance to the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1999.

Anticipating the claims, Hegseth posted a copy of his acceptance letter, signed by then-Superintendent Lieutenant General Daniel Christman. Dated January 5, 1999, the letter confirmed his place in West Point’s Class of 2003.

“We understand that ProPublica (the Left Wing hack group) is planning to publish a knowingly false report,” Hegseth wrote. “Here’s my letter of acceptance.”

This episode is just the latest in a series of media critiques aimed at Hegseth. Earlier this month, NBC News published an anonymously sourced story accusing him of excessive drinking. The report was met with public denials from former colleagues at Fox News, who defended Hegseth’s character.

Like Trump, Hegseth has adopted a combative approach toward media hostility, refusing to be silenced by what he and his supporters view as politically motivated attacks.

However, the confirmation of Hegseth’s nomination faces challenges beyond media scrutiny. Republican senators, particularly those labeled "RINOs" (Republicans in Name Only) by Trump’s MAGA base, have shown hesitation in supporting his candidacy.

Prominent MAGA supporters have leveraged their influence on X to pressure these senators, warning of potential primary challenges. Last week, the widely followed account "Catturd" posted a graphic reminder of Rep. Harriet Hageman’s landslide defeat of Trump critic Liz Cheney in Wyoming’s 2022 congressional race.

“This is your future if you don’t approve Trump’s cabinet picks,” the account warned, tagging Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa.

Shortly after, Ernst publicly endorsed Hegseth, signaling a shift in momentum. She also voiced her support for Kash Patel, Trump’s pick for FBI director and another favorite among MAGA supporters.

On Tuesday, Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas followed suit, posting on X: “As Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth will disrupt the bureaucratic status quo, reestablish deterrence, and help restore American leadership on the world stage.”

Not all Republican senators have fallen in line, however. In a CNN clip shared on X, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska appeared noncommittal about her stance on Hegseth’s nomination, underscoring the continued effort required to secure his confirmation.

Despite resistance from some quarters, the pushback against media criticism and the growing support from key senators suggest Hegseth’s nomination is gaining the momentum it lacked just a week ago.

For Trump’s MAGA supporters, this serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight to reshape Washington in their image—one confirmation at a time.