The Division of Protection (DOD) has ordered a direct worldwide pause to its social media pages and is pausing all posts on all social media platforms, except the posts should do with U.S. army operations and deployments to guard the southern border, Fox Information has realized.
The order got here with President Donald Trump’s approval from the White Home and can stay in place till his decide for protection secretary is confirmed and directs in any other case, two senior U.S. protection officers instructed Fox Information.
The momentary pause is predicted to final a matter of days, whereas steerage is given to each uniformed and civilian public affairs officer chargeable for social media web sites.
All social media posts ought to mirror an emphasis solely on “warfighting and lethality,” sources mentioned.
FLASHBACK: WHITE HOUSE ACCUSED OF US FLAG CODE VIOLATION OVER PRIDE MONTH DISPLAY
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 Occasions/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photos)
A senior protection official mentioned the brand new administration needs to make sure that “all communications are aligned” with its targets. 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 inner steerage 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 might be shut down, and previous content material will not be erased, however no new posts might be permitted till the long run protection secretary, as soon as confirmed, directs in any other case, a senior U.S. protection official defined to Fox Information.
“The Department of Defense is reviewing its social media programming to make sure it aligns with President Trump’s priorities on readiness, lethality and warfighting,” a senior U.S. protection official instructed Fox Information in an announcement. “This pause does not apply for content and imagery relative to the DOD’s current border security operations announced yesterday by Acting Secretary of Defense Robert G. Salesses.”
Underneath earlier administrations, together with the Biden administration, the army had been criticized for social media posts specializing in what critics known as “woke” priorities.
The U.S. Military 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 various tales of 5 completely different service members.
“It begins in California with a little girl raised by two moms,” the narrator, Cpl. Emma Malonelord, mentioned within the video. “Although I had a fairly typical childhood, took ballet, played violin, I also marched for equality. I like to think I’ve been defending freedom from an early age.”
Critics shortly 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 advertisements launched by different nations’ militaries.
“We are so doomed,” Media Analysis Middle’s Dan Gainor wrote on the time alongside the edited clip.
“Russians are building a military focused on killing people and breaking things. We’re apparently building a military focused on being capable of explaining microaggressions and critical race theory to Afghan Tribesmen,” John Hawkins concurred on the time.
American flags and a delight flag cling from the White Home throughout a Pleasure Month celebration on the South Garden June 10, 2023, in Washington. (AP Picture/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
TWITTER EXPLODES OVER RUSSIAN ARMY RECRUITMENT AD COMPARED TO ‘WOKE’ US VERSION: ‘WE ARE DOOMED’
At first of Pleasure Month in 2022, america Area Drive 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 change policy, change minds, and create opportunities for LGBTQ+ members of the military,” the submit said.
On the identical day, the official U.S. Marines account on X shared an illustration of a Marine helmet with rainbow-colored bullets.
“Throughout June, the USMC takes #Pride in recognizing and honoring the contributions of our LGBTQ service members,” the army department wrote. “We remain committed to fostering an environment free from discrimination, and defend the values of treating all equally, with dignity and respect.”
In June 2023, the U.S. Air Drive posted an illustration to X throughout Pleasure Month, that includes a service member saluting in entrance of the rainbow flag.
The submit acquired almost 6,000 feedback.
“As an Air Force vet, I am embarrassed by this,” one critic wrote. “How [far] we have fallen as a proud nation. This bulls— needs to end.”
“Pentagon and today’s Joint Chiefs are a national embarrassment and are destroying military readiness,” one other wrote. “Disgraceful.”
The U.S. State Division lately adopted a “one flag policy” order from the Trump administration, which allows solely the American flag to be flown at U.S. buildings at residence and overseas, with two notable exceptions, the Prisoner of Struggle/Lacking in Motion emblem and the Wrongful Detainees Flag.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Trump additionally ordered all variety, fairness and inclusion (DEI) authorities places of work to shut. All DEI federal employees have been positioned on paid administrative depart.
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.
