Pentagon Hires Conservative Veterans With Social Media Followings

The Pentagon has quietly hired several conservative military veterans with large social media followings to civilian roles, a move that has drawn scrutiny over the lack of transparency regarding their assignments and potential influence on policy. According to a report published by the Washington Post on August 31, 2026, the individuals include retired Air Force colonel Rob Maness, retired Army colonel Kurt Schlichter, and retired Army colonel Thomas Anderson, who writes under the pseudonym Cynical Publius. All three were assigned to the office of Anthony Tata, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, and held official government email addresses with a .