Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth tried to hype up service members with a special visit from MAGA-friendly influencers turned reality stars, the Paul brothers.
The self-styled “Secretary of War” hosted former YouTubers and internet figures Logan and Jake Paul at the Pentagon on Thursday to “meet with our warriors.”
“We just got the pleasure and the privilege of getting a tour of the Pentagon, and uh, what a cool experience,” Logan, 31, says in the video shared to social media on Sunday.
“To see all the men and women here who are serving this great nation, I don’t think there is any greater commitment to sacrifice than those who are willing to live, die, and fight for their country,” the wrestler and podcaster added.
The video showed clips of the Pauls laughing alongside Hegseth, 46, and posing for photo opportunities around different “Department of War” signage.
“Each one of you matter,” Jake, 29, told troops from the podium in the Pentagon press room. “Take this moment and be proud of yourselves for what you do.”
“This is the greatest country in the world, truly,” the former Disney actor and professional boxer said. “We are blessed to be born here, come here, and we should never take that for granted.”
The Daily Beast has reached out to the Pentagon for comment on why the influencers were invited to speak to troops.
The controversial brothers are no strangers to collaborating with the Trump administration.
Jake, a former Disney Channel actor-turned-internet personality-turned boxer, appeared at a rally for Donald Trump in March, speaking to Trump supporters about the importance of courage and having “swag.”
The 80-year-old president praised the former Bizaardvark star and offered his support should he venture into politics in the future.
“I’m going to make a prediction that you will be, in the not too distant future, running for political office,” Trump said. “And you have my complete and total endorsement!”
Jake’s older brother Logan, an influencer and wrestler with a laundry list of controversies, including accusations of operating a million-dollar cryptocurrency scam, also hosted Trump on his Impaulsive podcast ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
The two brothers, now both professional combat sports athletes, ventured into reality television last year with their series Paul American.
The show, which has a 2.8 out of 10 rating on IMDb, follows the social media stars in their family life. HBO Max neither canceled nor renewed the series for a second season after its first season premiered last year.
Hegseth, 46, narrowly dodged an impeachment vote just before he hosted the Paul brothers at the Pentagon. Nearly two years into his tenure, the former Fox & Friends Weekend host has racked up a string of controversies, from his purge of top military leaders to his focus on MAGA culture wars and bid to bring his own brand of religion into the military.
He’s also made some strange decisions in pursuit of cultivating the so-called “warrior ethos.” In particular, he has been obsessively focused on service members’ bodies, instituting strict grooming standards and fitness benchmarks among the military’s branches.
