Pete Hegseth, former Defense nominee, swiftly refuted a ProPublica hit piece claiming he never applied to West Point, providing irrefutable evidence in the form of his acceptance letter. ProPublica’s report aimed to discredit Hegseth by asserting he was never admitted, but he countered by sharing the letter signed by the West Point superintendent.

ProPublica admitted to errors in their reporting after Hegseth’s public disclosure, and a West Point spokesperson apologized for the administrative mistake. The controversy sparked political debate, with figures like Senator Tom Cotton defending Hegseth and criticizing the report as a smear against a Trump nominee. Hegseth’s supporters hailed his response as a victory, while critics continued to scrutinize his background, emphasizing the political nature of the attack.