Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has denied a report that he ordered a room in the Pentagon be turned into a makeup studio at a price tag of several thousand dollars.
CBS News reported from multiple sources about the Make-up Studio. At that time, it was noted by a Defense Department official that changes like this one are routinely made.
āChanges and upgrades to the Pentagon Briefing Room are nothing new and routinely happen during changes in an administration,ā a Defense Department spokesperson said in a statement.
Hegseth has since responded on X, calling the report āfake,ā while also taking a swipe at Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
ā1) Totally fake story. No āordersā and no āmakeupā ā but whatever,ā he posted. ā2) We should have installed tampon machines in every menās bathroom at DoD instead ā the leftist ānewsā media would have loved that.ā
The name āTampon Timā refers to a law that Walz signed which required public schools to provide menstrual products ā including pads and tampons ā to students in 4th through 12th grades, NPR explained. The nickname became popular when Walz was running for vice president on the Democratic ticket last year.
According to CBS News, the Make-up Studio was originally projected to cost more than $40,000, but was eventually revised. A new chair, countertop and large mirror with makeup lighting were installed, one source said.
Hegseth came to the Pentagon from Fox Newsā āFox & Friends Weekendā where he was an on-air co-host. The secretary is doing his own makeup, per another source.
The room will be available to senior leaders and VIPs prior, a Defense Department spokesperson said.
āFor this upgrade we were deliberately conservative and opted for several less expensive, on-hand materiel solutions,ā the spokesperson said.
This report is the latest in Hegsethās short tenure that has nohim in a positive light.
āThe New York Timesā reported Hegseth shared ideas about upcoming airstrikes with his wife, brother, and lawyer via Signal, an encrypted messaging app. That came on the heels of newsāThe Atlanticā lastmonth reported Hegseth shared the same plans with more than a dozen government officials ā as well as an editor āon Signal.
Hegseth has said he did not disclose classified information in either instance, which are being reviewed by the Defense Departmentās acting inspector general.
āWeāre focused on recruiting, on rooting out DEI, on securing our southwest border, on the presidentās agenda, and itās going very well at the Pentagon, and Iām proud of it,ā Hegseth said Tuesday on Fox.
