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 .civ suffix, indicating civilian employee status.

The report indicates that at least some of these influencers have been assigned to roles that could lead to changes in policy. Pentagon records reviewed by the Post showed that Maness and Schlichter had active government email addresses as of the week before the story was published. Anderson was listed in records earlier in the year but was no longer listed at the time of publication. The Pentagon has declined to comment on whether these individuals are drawing a...