Senior Pentagon official no longer employed by the US Navy after bashing Trump on hidden camera, report
An aerial view of the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., May 15, 2023. (DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. John Wright)
Acting Secretary of the Navy, Hung Cao, says a top Pentagon official who criticized President Trump in a recorded video which was posted online is no longer employed by the Department of the Navy.
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Last week, right-wing activist James O'Keefe released a video reportedly showing Brandon Newsom, who worked as a senior official in business operations for the Navy, being filmed with a hidden camera. The video was shared on X by Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao.
Newsweek reports that in the hidden camera video posted on X by O'Keefe, Newsom can be heard saying that he wants to "stay and stick it out" at the Pentagon, adding: "So that way, when the time comes, I can undo whatever's been done [by the Trump administration]." Newsweek says it has not independently verified the footage.
In an earlier post on X, Cao said: "The Department of the Navy takes the conduct shown in this video extremely seriously. Such statements and apparent intent to leverage a position to undermine the policies and direction set by our elected leaders are inappropriate and incompatible with the standards expected of Department personnel. Effective immediately, this individual has been placed on administrative leave while we determine next steps to ensure accountability and protect the integrity of our mission."
It's not clear if Newsom left his position on his own or if he was fired.
The Source: This article includes information from Newsweek and the X account of Acting Secretary of the Navy, Hung Cao. This story was reported from Orlando.