Nonprofit investigative journalism organization ProPublica is under fire following its handling of a potential story about Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth's West Point acceptance. The controversy began when Hegseth posted on X, accusing ProPublica of planning to publish a "false report" claiming he wasn't accepted to the military academy. Hegseth included a photo of his acceptance letter.
ProPublica editor Jesse Eisinger responded on X, stating that West Point public affairs had twice informed them that Hegseth hadn't applied. Eisinger explained that upon receiving Hegseth's acceptance letter, they chose not to publish. However, subsequent reporting revealed ProPublica's communication with Hegseth's lawyer, giving him a one-hour deadline to respond to allegations about falsifying his West Point admission. The email's accusatory tone and limited response time sparked criticism, with many questioning ProPublica's journalistic ethics.
Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth, left, and West Point Military Academy, right (Getty)
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be Secretary of Defense, makes his way to a meeting with Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., in the Russell building on Tuesday, December 3, 2024. (Tom Williams)
West Point cadets salute as U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III arrives for the 2021 West Point Commencement Ceremony in Michie Stadium. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Associate Justice Samuel Alito joins other members of the U.S. Supreme Court as they pose for a new group portrait in October 2022. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
ProPublica issued a statement defending their reporters' "tough questions" and emphasized their commitment to verifying information before publication. West Point acknowledged their error in providing incorrect information about Hegseth's admission status and issued an apology. This incident follows previous criticism of ProPublica's reporting on conservative Supreme Court Justices, raising concerns about the organization's journalistic practices and potential bias.
