Matt Gaetz made his new career as a Pentagon press corps member official when the former Florida representative and failed U.S. Attorney General appointee asked a pretty sharp question – and follow-up – at a Tuesday briefing.
Now easily identifiable as a journalist by the thick, frumpy fleece with its zip-up collar partially popped over a blue button-down and tightly knotted black tie, Gaetz – who was named an anchor at One America News one year ago – was called on by Pentagon spokeswoman Kingsley Wilson, who responded to a room full of raised hands by saying, “Yes, Matt.”
“Kingsley, if Nicolás Maduro leaves Venezuela – today – what role will the Department of War have in a post-Maduro Venezuela, and what process the administration will use to determine whether or not current members of the Venezuelan military or Venezuelan government have a role in a post-Maduro Venezuela?,” Gaetz asked.
Wilson, easily identifiable as a Trump Administration deputy press secretary by her forthcoming non-answer that quickly veered into talking points, first thanked Gaetz for the question.
“Thanks for the question,” she said. “So, um, the department has a contingency plan for everything. We are a planning organization. Um. If anything were to happen around the world, we have a response planned and ready. So we stand at the president’s beck-and-call as commander-in-chief to do what is needed if called upon. And that will be what this department continues to focus on and continues to prepare for, um, in regards to ongoing operations in the Southcom region. Our focus is taking out narco-terrorists, and rooting out that threat that is poisoning the American people.”
Gaetz was not offered a followup, but took one anyway.
“This is a follow-up,” he said. “Quickly, so, following the departure of Saddam Hussein, there was this desire to name every Baathist a terrorist. Does the administration take the view that any person who served in the Venezuelan military or government is definitionally a narc0-terrorist?”
Wilson punted the question to the guy who at one time wanted Gaetz to be his top law-enforcement officer.
“That would be a determination for the president to make,” she said. “But I can tell you that every single person who we have hit thus far who is in a drug boat carrying narcotics to the United States is a narco-terrorist. Our intelligence has confirmed that, and we stand by it.”
Gaetz’s pivot to journalism last year began after Donald Trump’s cabinet nomination, a move that surprised many given ongoing ethics investigations into serious allegations of sexual misconduct and misuse of funds. Under pressure, Gaetz withdrew from consideration and resigned his congressional seat.
Gaetz’ appearance at the Pentagon was part of a broader phenomenon, however. After dozens of news outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Fox News and CNN, rejected press restrictions in October, the Pentagon invited conservative reporters and influencers to fill their spots, with right-wing media stars such as Laura Loomer, James O’Keefe, Jack Posobiec – and Gaetz – all in attendance Tuesday.
Watch Gaetz’ maiden voyage as a Pentagon reporter in the video clip above.
