The Department of Defense (DOD) has ordered a direct worldwide pause to its social media pages and is pausing all posts on all social media platforms, until the posts must do with U.S. army operations and deployments to guard the southern border, Fox Information has discovered.
The order got here with President Donald Trump’s approval from the White Home and can stay in place till his choose for protection secretary is confirmed and directs in any other case, two senior U.S. protection officers advised Fox Information.
The non permanent pause is predicted to final a matter of days, whereas steering is given to each uniformed and civilian public affairs officer chargeable for social media web sites.
All social media posts ought to replicate an emphasis solely on “warfighting and lethality,” sources mentioned.
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Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of protection, arrives for the sixtieth presidential inauguration Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (Kenny Holston/The New York Instances/Bloomberg by way of Getty Pictures)
A senior protection official mentioned the brand new administration needs to make sure that “all communications are aligned” with its objectives. The pause solely applies to social media posts. Press releases will nonetheless be emailed to reporters and posted on DOD web sites, sources mentioned.
Civilian and army public affairs officers worldwide will quickly obtain inside steering on all posts and social media outreach for army recruiting, posts from DOD colleges and posts from combatant instructions on ongoing army operations.
Social media accounts will likely be shut down, and previous content material will not be erased, however no new posts will likely be permitted till the longer term protection secretary, as soon as confirmed, directs in any other case, a senior U.S. protection official defined to Fox Information.
“The Division of Protection is reviewing its social media programming to verify it aligns with President Trump’s priorities on readiness, lethality and warfighting,” a senior U.S. protection official advised Fox Information in a press release. “This pause doesn’t apply for content material and imagery relative to the DOD’s present border safety operations introduced yesterday by Performing Secretary of Protection Robert G. Salesses.”
Underneath earlier administrations, together with the Biden administration, the army had been criticized for social media posts specializing in what critics referred to as “woke” priorities.
The U.S. Army in 2021 launched an animated recruitment advert telling the story of an Military corporal with two mothers as a part of a recruitment marketing campaign, “The Calling,” which depicted the varied tales of 5 completely different service members.
“It begins in California with a bit lady raised by two mothers,” the narrator, Cpl. Emma Malonelord, mentioned within the video. “Though I had a reasonably typical childhood, took ballet, performed violin, I additionally marched for equality. I prefer to suppose I have been defending freedom from an early age.”
Critics rapidly expressed concern concerning the advert undermining confidence within the power of the U.S. army, Fox Information Digital reported on the time. Many social media customers posted side-by-side comparisons to adverts launched by different nations’ militaries.
“We’re so doomed,” Media Research Center’s Dan Gainor wrote on the time alongside the edited clip.
“Russians are constructing a army targeted on killing individuals and breaking issues. We’re apparently constructing a army targeted on being able to explaining microaggressions and demanding race principle to Afghan Tribesmen,” John Hawkins concurred on the time.
American flags and a satisfaction flag dangle from the White Home throughout a Delight Month celebration on the South Garden June 10, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photograph/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
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Initially of Delight Month in 2022, the USA House Power posted on X, highlighting Maj. Gen. Leah Lauderback’s feedback on the “QueerSpace” podcast.
“Maj. Gen. Leah Lauderback spoke on how the LIT is working to alter coverage, change minds, and create alternatives for LGBTQ+ members of the army,” the publish acknowledged.
On the identical day, the official U.S. Marines account on X shared an illustration of a Marine helmet with rainbow-colored bullets.
“All through June, the USMC takes #Delight in recognizing and honoring the contributions of our LGBTQ service members,” the army department wrote. “We stay dedicated to fostering an setting free from discrimination, and defend the values of treating all equally, with dignity and respect.”
In June 2023, the U.S. Air Power posted an illustration to X throughout Delight Month, that includes a service member saluting in entrance of the rainbow flag.
The publish acquired practically 6,000 feedback.
“As an Air Power vet, I’m embarrassed by this,” one critic wrote. “How [far] we’ve fallen as a proud nation. This bulls— wants to finish.”
“Pentagon and as we speak’s Joint Chiefs are a nationwide embarrassment and are destroying army readiness,” one other wrote. “Disgraceful.”
The U.S. State Division not too long ago adopted a “one flag coverage” order from the Trump administration, which allows solely the American flag to be flown at U.S. buildings at dwelling and overseas, with two notable exceptions, the Prisoner of Conflict/Lacking in Motion emblem and the Wrongful Detainees Flag.
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Trump additionally ordered all variety, fairness and inclusion (DEI) authorities workplaces to shut. All DEI federal employees have been positioned on paid administrative go away.
Fox Information Digital reached out to the White Home for additional remark.
Fox Information Digital’s Yael Halon and Stephen Sorace contributed to this story.
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