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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has recently initiated changes to a room adjacent to the Pentagon’s press briefing area, transforming it into a makeup studio for television appearances, as reported by several sources to CBS News.
The total cost for this renovation is estimated to reach several thousand dollars, which raises eyebrows considering the administration’s ongoing efforts to curtail expenses.
A representative from the Defense Department stated, “Modifications and upgrades to the Pentagon Briefing Room are standard practice and typically coincide with administrative transitions.”
Before his current role, Hegseth was known for co-hosting “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Fox News. Upon his appointment, he committed to enhancing the military’s capabilities and readiness.
Earlier this year, an in-house construction team undertook renovations of the adjoining green room, which had previously featured basic furnishings like a table, chairs, a television, images of former defense secretaries, and a mirror affixed to the door.
Among the updates, the table was removed in favor of a new chair and a sizable mirror outfitted with makeup lighting, according to the reports.
The idea for the improvements was reportedly proposed by Tami Radabaugh, who works as the deputy assistant to the secretary for strategic engagement and has past experience as a producer for Fox News and CBS News. Sources indicated that Sean Parnell, the chief spokesman for the Pentagon, and Jennifer Hegseth, also a former producer at Fox, expressed support for the idea.
The updated green room is set to be available to senior military officials and VIPs ahead of their media engagements, as affirmed by the Defense Department spokesperson. Many of the new furnishings, such as a director’s chair, were sourced from existing inventories, while a new countertop was constructed by the facilities services team.
The spokesperson emphasized a cautious approach to the upgrade, stating, “We were intentionally conservative and chose several cost-effective solutions from materials already at hand.”
Although Hegseth hasn’t yet utilized the press room for formal briefings, it has served as a backdrop for his television appearances. Recently, during an interview on Fox News, he criticized the media and past Pentagon officials regarding their role in disclosing that he had shared sensitive military strike details within a Signal group chat he established.
While he did not contest claims that he informed family members of real-time operational plans before military actions in Yemen, he did not clarify why his wife, who is not affiliated with the Defense Department, was included in the chat. This incident marks the second Signal group where Hegseth distributed operational plans related to Houthi airstrikes that occurred in mid-March. The initial group, created by national security adviser Michael Waltz, included high-level national security officials and was inadvertently revealed by Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, who had been added to the group by mistake.
Hegseth maintains that he did not disclose classified information in either of the groups, though the acting inspector general for the Department of Defense is currently examining his communications.
In a recent Fox News segment, he stated, “We are concentrating on recruitment efforts, eliminating DEI initiatives, securing the southwestern border, and advancing the president’s agenda, which is progressing well at the Pentagon, and I take pride in that.”
On February 21, the Pentagon imposed restrictions on access to its briefing room, limiting entry to reporters only during official speaking engagements. This policy shift has curtailed press access to one of the few locations within the secure facility that offered wifi connectivity for filing stories and conducting on-camera reporting.
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