We noted how Newsmax went into Trump Regime Media mode to try and drag Pete Hegseth’s nomination for defense secretary across the finish line — but one Newsmax TV host, Greg Kelly, did not want to play along, pointing out that Hegseth is “blackmailable” due to his sordid history with women. But Kelly’s boss, Christopher Ruddy, felt the repercussions of violating Trump Regime Media orders a few days later, as Mediaite reported:
Newsmax instructed staff to lay off Pete Hegseth, the Fox News host Donald Trump nominated to serve as his secretary of defense, after a segment bashing the pick sparked the ire of Trump himself.
Greg Kelly, who helms the 9 p.m. hour on Newsmax, tore into Hegseth last week, calling him “blackmailable” because of his “baggage” and arguing he “hasn’t done nearly enough for MAGA” to have earned the top job at the Pentagon.
Soon after the segment, Trump’s team got in touch with Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy to express the president-elect’s displeasure with the commentary, multiple sources told Mediaite.
Three sources said Trump also called Ruddy directly to complain about the segment, though Newsmax disputed this. In a statement, the network said, “President Trump never called Mr. Ruddy about the Hegseth nomination and he never expressed dissatisfaction with Greg Kelly’s show in any way.”
Either way, word made it to Newsmax that Trump was furious. One insider said Ruddy was “shook” after word came Trump was displeased.
That sparked action at the network, sources said. On Friday, Newsmax chief operating officer Elliot Jacobson convened staff at its New York headquarters to issue guidance in what one source described as an “aggressive, panicked tone.”
Jacobson said that on-air coverage of Hegseth needed to “focus on the positive,” the source said. Jacobson told staff that if guests bring up Hegseth, hosts should explain to viewers that the claims against him are allegations and then “pivot.”
“Any issues following this will result in termination,” the executive warned.
Not all hosts heeded the mandate. Kelly expressed some muted criticism of Hegseth on his show on Friday night.
The same day, Mediate reported that “A former Newsmax producer laid into the network for threatening hosts with termination if they criticize Pete Hegseth”:
On Tuesday night, a former Newsmax producer blasted the directive, telling Mediaite, “This shouldn’t be ‘news’ to anyone who has followed Newsmax’s history of using the airways to stuff Ruddy’s pockets.”
The source, who was granted anonymity, said they feel “sorry for the investors,” who bought shares in the network’s parent company. In July, Newsmax Media announced it would begin offering 30,000 shares at $5,000 each to accredited investors ahead of an anticipated initial public offering. The person added that investors had thrown “money into a burning dumpster” and called the network “an infomercial posing as a news organization.”
Despite the dictate, a Dec. 13 article by Sam Barron noted Hegseth’s flop-flop on certain issues:
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be secretary of defense, is now open to women serving in combat and gays in the military.
Hegseth’s reversals come as he attempts to win support from Republican senators amid allegations of alcoholism, financial mismanagement, and sexual misconduct, claims he has denied.
He previously called allowing gays and transgender people to serve in the military part of a “Marxist” agenda but said Thursday he thought gays should serve in the military, Politico reported.
He also previously said women should not serve in combat, but moderate Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, told reporters Hegseth backpedaled on his previous opposition to women in combat in their meeting this week.
Kelly aside, Newsmax’s writers and talking heads got the memo, though it helped that the Christmas holidays curtailed coverage as well, serving up little more than a a couple of Hegseth-leaning articles:
- 120 Retired Generals, Admirals Sign Support for Hegseth
- Fetterman ‘Potentially’ Going to Vote for Hegseth, Patel
Hegseth’s Senate confirmation hearing on Jan. 14 marked a return to the mandated pro-Hegseth full-court press, as ordered:
- Trump: Hegseth Has ‘My Complete and Total Support’
- Defense Secretary-Nominee Hegseth Vows to ‘Restore Warrior Ethos’
- Hegseth: Military Members Booted for Vax Refusal Back ‘With Pay, Rank’
- Hegseth Pressed on Past Remarks on Women in Combat
- Sen. Ernst Endorses Hegseth to Be Defense Secretary
- Fla. Rep. Luna Backs Hegseth for Defense Secretary
- Sen. Cramer to Newsmax: Hegseth Could ‘Sail Through’ Armed Services Panel
- Hegseth Unaware of Job Threats Aimed at Pentagon’s ‘Woke’
- Sen. Mullin Blasts Colleagues Over Grilling of Hegseth
- Sen. Rounds to Newsmax: Hegseth ‘On Target’ to Be Confirmed
- Sen. Graham: Hegseth Will Be Confirmed
- Sen. Rounds to Newsmax: Hegseth Will Be Confirmed
There were a couple slightly sour notes, though:
This was capped off by a Jan. 15 rah-rah column by Michael Dorstewitz:
Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth faced four-plus hours of intense grilling from Senate Democrats at the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday.
In the end, not only was he unscathed, but he demonstrated the “calm under fire” demeanor we expect from a secretary of defense, and in the end, he’ll be confirmed, although probably along party lines.
[…]Accordingly, Hegseth will bring a different perspective to the office — one with “dust on his boots” that cares nothing for political correctness, one that’s warrior-based.
It’s a perspective that’s been missing for a long time.
And that’s why he’ll be confirmed and why he’ll be successful.
Meanwhile, Kelly still isn’t quite on board with the corporate mandate. In the Jan. 14 edition of his show, he reiterated that “I still do not believe that [Kelly] should be confirmed,” but adding: “However, if he is confirmed, and it looks like it’s likely, I’ll do anything I can to help and I mean that.”