The article contrasts anonymous CBS photographs showing extensive damage to U.S. bases in the Middle East with reports that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has instructed commanders to nominate only the most camera-ready troops for public appearances. Critics say the emphasis on waist-to-height ratios, grooming and on-camera fitness mirrors Roger Ailes' image-focused practices at Fox News. The piece argues that prioritizing optics risks sidelining urgent operational and readiness concerns while the military deals with sustained attacks and damaged infrastructure.
While Bases Burn, The Pentagon Is Being Cast for TV: Hegseth Echoes Roger Ailes
Pete Hegseth smiles and gestures while testifying at a congressional hearing.
This week, CBS News published anonymous photographs that active-duty service members said were released because strict media controls inside the U.S. military prevented them from showing the full truth about operations in the Middle East. The images are stark: a Boeing E-3 Sentry at Prince Sultan Air Base with its tail torn off, wreckage at Camp Buehring in Kuwait, and other bases across Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Jordan visibly absorbing months of missile and drone strikes.
Those photos depict a grim reality many Americans have not seen. Yet, according to a Wall Street Journal report, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appears intent on presenting a carefully curated image of the force—one composed of the fittest and most camera-ready service members.
The report says Pentagon commanders were asked to nominate only the best-groomed, most physically fit troops to appear at Hegseth's upcoming "State of the Force" address. Requirements discussed included waist-to-height ratios and other fitness benchmarks. In the context of damaged bases and missing aircraft, critics say that emphasis on appearance reads as a priority on optics rather than operational realities.
Hegseth's critics point to a pattern: last September at Quantico, he reportedly told Marine Corps leaders there should be "no more beardos" and "no more fat generals," calling it "tiring" to look at formations that did not match a particular, muscular aesthetic. He has promoted programs tied to testosterone screening and once touted what he called a "High-T Department of War" in a public video. Those initiatives were later shelved or faded from view.
Observers also note Hegseth's influence on event guest lists—such as selections for a high-profile White House event—where physical fitness and appearance reportedly played a role. One of his early actions at the Pentagon was to install a makeup studio in his office, a move critics say underscores the focus on presentation.
Those practices draw an obvious parallel to Roger Ailes' approach at Fox News, often described as privileging the "Fox News look"—a preference for on-air talent chosen for appearance as much as journalistic ability. Where Ailes' methods centered on women's looks, critics say Hegseth appears to be staging a male equivalent: privileging leanness, grooming, beard standards and on-camera photogenic qualities.
Why it matters: While service members confront battered infrastructure, destroyed aircraft and a stretched logistics network, the Pentagon's reported focus on who looks best on camera raises uncomfortable questions about priorities and leadership during an active period of conflict.
Whether this is an obsessive preoccupation with appearances or an indicator of a deeper philosophy about leadership and public messaging, the contrast is striking: images from damaged bases tell one story, while the Pentagon's curated portraits send another. The tension between operational readiness and media optics is now a subject of public debate.
Note: This piece reflects reporting from CBS News and The Wall Street Journal and presents a critical perspective on the reported actions and priorities of Secretary Hegseth.
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