ProPublica editor explains how 'journalism' works after Hegseth’s West Point 'hit piece' claim

Many critics of former host Pete Hegseth — President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of defense — have argued that while the former Fox News host has a military background, he doesn't have nearly the experience needed to run the Pentagon.

Some of those critics have pointed out that his experience in the U.S. Armed Forces is nowhere near as extensive as that of Gen. Lloyd Austin, President Joe Biden's outgoing defense secretary.

The debate over Hegseth's qualifications to run the Pentagon have included his connection to West Point.

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In a December 11 post on X, former Twitter, Hegseth wrote, "We understand that ProPublica (the Left Wing hack group) is planning to publish a knowingly false report that I was not accepted to West Point Military Academy in 1999."

Hegseth tweeted an acceptance letter dated January 5, 1999.

ProPublica reporter Jesse Eisinger, in response to Hegseth's post, tweeted that Trump's defense nominee, "has said that he got into West Point but didn't attend."

Eisinger explained, "We asked West Pt public affairs, which told us twice on the record that he hadn't even applied there. We reached out. Hegseth's spox gave us his acceptance letter. We didn't publish a story. That's journalism."

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Hegseth and Eisinger's tweets have inspired reactions from far-right radio host Hugh Hewitt and others.

Hewitt posted, "The story is and remains that a bureaucrat at West Point misled you and you didn't print that. That's not journalism."

But former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann told Hegseth, " The 'left wing group' that incorrectly said you didn't get accepted at West Point was West Point, you PTSD fascist liar."

Playright/actor Jeremy Kareken, in response to Hewitt, wrote, " Lied? You believe that a PR officer couldn’t possibly have have made a gross error in opinion, filing, systems or communication? You have more faith in the abilities of PR officers than I do."

X user Kevin Costa wrote, "It's possible they are telling the truth and they just don't have great records of everyone who applied but never attended[.] Not every time someone is wrong is nefarious[.]"

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