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Newsmax instructed staff to lay off Pete Hegseth, the Fox News host Donald Trump nominated to serve as his secretary of defense, after a segment bashing the pick sparked the ire of Trump himself.
Greg Kelly, who helms the 9 p.m. hour on Newsmax, tore into Hegseth last week, calling him “blackmailable” because of his “baggage” and arguing he “hasn’t done nearly enough for MAGA” to have earned the top job at the Pentagon.
Soon after the segment, Trump’s team got in touch with Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy to express the president-elect’s displeasure with the commentary, multiple sources told Mediaite.
Three sources said Trump also called Ruddy directly to complain about the segment, though Newsmax disputed this. In a statement, the network said, “President Trump never called Mr. Ruddy about the Hegseth nomination and he never expressed dissatisfaction with Greg Kelly’s show in any way.”
Either way, word made it to Newsmax that Trump was furious. One insider said Ruddy was “shook” after word came Trump was displeased.
That sparked action at the network, sources said. On Friday, Newsmax chief operating officer Elliot Jacobson convened staff at its New York headquarters to issue guidance in what one source described as an “aggressive, panicked tone.”
Jacobson said that on-air coverage of Hegseth needed to “focus on the positive,” the source said. Jacobson told staff that if guests bring up Hegseth, hosts should explain to viewers that the claims against him are allegations and then “pivot.”
“Any issues following this will result in termination,” the executive warned.
Not all hosts heeded the mandate. Kelly expressed some muted criticism of Hegseth on his show on Friday night.
The initial Kelly segment caused a stir in Newsmax’s headquarters. Mediaite obtained a photo from the newsroom in New York which showed posters of Kelly and Hegseth’s books placed side by side on a column, asking facetious questions including “Who should be Trump’s SecDef?” and “Who’s more ‘fit?’”
Kelly’s monologue took aim at the controversies plaguing Hegseth – from his admitted history of adultery to allegations of heavy drinking and a 2017 police investigation into a sexual assault claim against him. The incident, which Hegseth insists was consensual, did not result in any charges. Hegseth later paid the woman, who remains anonymous, to keep quiet about her claim.
The controversies swirling around Hegseth have put his chances of confirmation in jeopardy. For now, it appears Trump is standing by his embattled nominee, having spoken out in support of him and authorized him to embark on a media tour defending himself against these allegations.
