Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has altered a space behind the Pentagon briefing room to use as a makeup studio before media appearances, defense officials confirmed.
The space has long been used as a green room for officials or guests briefing the media, including previous Pentagon spokespersons, a defense official said.
Hegseth has not held a public briefing since entering office three months ago, but he regularly uses the space to record television hits, such as one that aired Monday on the conservative news program “Fox & Friends,” which he previously hosted.
The renovations consist of a director’s chair, mirrors and a countertop, either gathered from storage or made by in-house Pentagon employees to avoid extra costs, the official said. Tami Radabaugh, a public affairs aide and Hegseth’s longtime producer, first directed the changes in the opening weeks of the secretary’s time in office.
Hegseth does his own makeup, according to the defense official.
“For this upgrade we were deliberately conservative and opted for several less expensive, on-hand materiel solutions that provide the secretary and other VIPs the needed support and space for on-camera press engagements,” a Pentagon spokesperson said in a written statement.
The renovations were first reported by CBS News.
Before entering office, Hegseth was a media personality who spent years appearing on television and podcasts. His team has since styled him around his years of military service, including time in the Army and National Guard. Hegseth speaks often about the need to restore America’s “warrior ethos” and publicly exercises with troops and other cabinet members.
Pentagon employees are still tweaking the space, including installing new mirrors soon. On Tuesday, framed photos hung on the room’s walls depicted Hegseth speaking in public or greeting visiting officials. In two of the photos was John Ullyot, the secretary’s former chief spokesperson, who has since argued the Pentagon is in “full-blown meltdown” after a slate of top officials were fired last week.
Those photos were removed Tuesday.
Noah Robertson is the Pentagon reporter at Defense News. He previously covered national security for the Christian Science Monitor. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and government from the College of William & Mary in his hometown of Williamsburg, Virginia.
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