The Harry Sisson Show - Pete Hegseth LOSES IT As MAGA Media ABANDONS HIM

Episode Date: October 14, 2025

Harry Sisson breaks down how Pete Hegseth's new policy restricting the media from reporting on the Trump Administration's corruption at the Department of Defense is backfiring on him.

All right, folks, check this out. Pete Hagseth, one of the worst members of Trump's administration, just suffered a truly humiliating loss after, essentially, he was told to go kick rocks by major media organizations, including MAGA organizations who spend essentially their entire day praising Donald Trump. It's all about this new rule that Pete Hegseth is trying to implement to crack down on what information can be reported about him and the Department of Defense. It's truly an authoritarian move, but it seems to be backfiring on him in a pretty major way. So I want to break down this story for you, but before I do so, make sure to subscribe to the channel down below. It goes an incredibly long way.

Drop a like on the video. Comment, let me know what you think about this story and let me know what you think about Pete Heggseth. I'm excited to hear from you. Without further ado, let's dive into this Wall Street Journal article to start. Major media outlets rebuff the new Pentagon Press policy. And just to give you a brief summary of what that policy. policy is, among many things, the Defense Department policy requires military personnel to get approval before sharing information even unclassified with the media. So when military officials want to

go to the media with information that might be important to the American people, they now have to get approval from people like Pete Hegseth to do so. So if Donald Trump does something insane that they're trying to cover up, Pete Hegseth wants to make sure that people at the DOD go through him first before they talk to journalists. Clearly, an authoritarian crackdown. But major media outlets, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and CNN have said they won't agree to this new policy. Those who don't sign on to the policy must forfeit their Pentagon press badges and won't be issued new ones.

For decades, reporters wearing identification badges had broadly unfettered access to non-classified areas of the Pentagon, able to walk the hallways of the sprawling building and visit officials' offices, The agencies limited, or excuse me, the agency limited where they could go without escorts earlier this year. Members of the press have until Tuesday to sign the policy, which states that military personnel need approval before sharing information with the media. It says that members of the media should be aware that agency personnel may face adverse consequences for unauthorized disclosures. As asking agency personnel to commit criminal acts by disclosing information isn't protected by the First Amendment, the policy says. Yes, it is. Actually, the military officials going to the press is almost as American as you can get. We've had all of these different huge scandals throughout history because military officials went to the press.

They told journalists what they're seeing from the inside. That's called the First Amendment. That's called holding the government accountable, especially this administration accountable. That's certainly needed. The policy, of course, draw rebukes from press rights organizations, which have highlighted the role journalists have played in revealing waste spending and conflicts of interest and misconduct. And defense secretary Pete Hegseth seems to be doubling down because on Monday afternoon, after the New York Times shared a statement about this policy, he tweeted a waving goodbye emoji. So he seems perfectly fine with major media organizations

not participating in reporting, which perhaps is his goal, making sure that no journalists can report on what the corrupt Trump administration is doing. And of course, it's important to point, it's important to point out that the Trump admin has upended longstanding precedence for press access this year, taking control of the seating arrangement for the White House briefing room, from the White House Correspondents Association, and adding new spots for media outlets or new media outlets such as podcasters. The White House has also barred certain organizations from covering him or going to certain events, including, remember, the Associated Press, they wouldn't use the Gulf of America, instead correctly using the Gulf of Mexico term,

and the Trump admin banned them indefinitely from certain White House events. It is as corrupt as it can get. They also, earlier this year, removed dedicated Pentagon office space for some outlets, including the New York Times, NBC News, The Hill, and CNN, giving spots instead to the New York Post, OANN, Breitbart, Huff Post, and others. Notice how many of these outlets are very, very MAGA. And it's just interesting that Pete Hegseth, who himself shared classified military information in a signal chat is worried about classified information leaking when the information is not classified

that's being shared with journalists. This is what he says is taking place. Pentegon access is a privilege, not a right. So here's the Department of War press credentialing for dummies. Press no longer runs free. They must wear visible badges. Credentialed press no longer permitted to solicit criminal acts. That's a very disgustingly misrepresented way to talk about the military officials correctly speaking to the press if they're witnessing something that is going wrong. But as I said, this hasn't gone over well for Pete Hegseth and the Department of Defense because even Newsmax, a very conservative outlet, is now saying Newsmax has no plans to sign the letter. We are working in conjunction with other media outlets to resolve the situation. We believe the requirements

are unnecessary and hope that the Pentagon will review the matter further. And as you can see, this is the list of people and media outlets that are not signing the policy and those that are signing it. Of course, O-A-N-N, MAGA as hell, all they do is suck up to Donald Trump. Of course they'd sign it. If Donald Trump put forward a policy requiring a signature from them saying that they'll dance for him 24-7, they'd do it. But you'll see that major media news outlets, including Newsmax, the Washington Examiner, which is other kind of a more conservative one, and all these different outlets are following suit. But I think Aaron Blake makes a good point. It's interesting to see whether Fox News will agree to the Pentagon's

coverage demands. If I were a betting man, I would say they probably do. Because remember, of course, I mean, remember, you know this. Fox News is insanely conservative. They'll dance too if Donald Trump tells them to dance. Let's just be clear about that. And I do want to read you just some of this statement that was put out from the Pentagon Press Association urging them to reconsider the rule. It's important to hear from these folks, I think, and their statement is really well written. Quote, when Secretary Hegseth came into office, Pentagon officials pledged to this the most transparent Department of Defense in history. Since then, we've seen an inordinate amount of time spent systematically limiting access to information about the U.S. military,

information vital to members of the military, their families, American taxpayers, and the public. This effort has culminated in an ultimatum to members of the Pentagon Press Corps, surrender your press pass, or sign a document acknowledging vague new policies that on their face appear to violate the First Amendment. This Wednesday, most Pentagon Press Association members seem likely to hand over their badges rather than acknowledge a policy that gags Pentagon employees and threatens retaliation against reporters. Our members did nothing. This is important. Did nothing to create this disturbing situation. It arises from an entirely one-sided move by Pentagon officials apparently intent upon cutting the American public off from information they do not control

and pre-approved. And they also provide some fact checks here, which I thought were good. Fact. No other government agency requires any similar affirmation from the press. And also, fact, there is no reason for the Pentagon to require reporters to sign a new document. For decades, reporters seeking a badge to work inside the Pentagon simply signed a single page form outlining certain access limits. And then they go on to say more about that, which if you would like to pause to read, I'd encourage you to do so. It's very well written as well. I just wanted to read you a little bit of that. And I do want to just provide a reminder of who Pete Heg-Seth is.

Of course, we see him in the media every single day on social media, just making a total ass of himself. remember that this is somebody whose own mother slammed him. Remember, she said, quote, I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around, and uses women for his own power and ego. You are that man. This is an email to Pete Hegsef and have been for many years. And as your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that. But it is the sad, sad truth. This is the man who's currently limiting the press from reporting on his corruption, Trump's corruption. Everybody else is corruption in this administration because he doesn't want that getting out to the public. But as I mentioned, it doesn't seem like it's going over too well even with the MAGA news

outlets. We'll see if this holds. I'm cautiously optimistic, but we shall see. So folks, I will leave the video there. Thank you so very much for being here. Make sure to subscribe to the channel down below. It goes an incredibly long way. Drop a like on the video, comment. Let me know what you think about the story and as I always say, I greatly appreciate you and I hope you have an amazing rest of your day.