Staffers for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth damaged a historic World War II-era globe believed to have been used by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower during an attempted move on Feb. 3. The incident, which occurred at the Pentagon, left a several-inch gash in the artifact’s shell after aides bypassed trained curators.
The 30-inch floor globe is one of two held by the Army at the Pentagon.
The globes, which are thought to date back to the 1930s, were favored by Eisenhower over typical Mercator projection maps because the latter distort the relative size of countries. While the damaged globe was the target of the move, a second globe is currently displayed in the office of the Army chief of staff; according to Army officials, that artifact bears pen marks attributed to Gen. Omar Bradley and Eisenhower.
A group dispatched by Hegseth's team in February attempted to move the historic globe, said to be used by Eisenhower during World War II. They lifted it from its home in an Army office in the Pentagon … and dropped it. pic.twitter.com/vTjWdYXn0k
Movers Damage Globe While Attempting Relocation
The accident happened when Hegseth’s team attempted to relocate the globe without professional assistance. The movers lost control of the artifact, causing it to crash onto its base and impale the fragile shell near Antarctica. The resulting hole is described as several inches wide.
Spokesman Christopher Surridge confirmed the damage, noting that the spherical portion of the globe was detached from the metal mounting that allows it to rotate
. Because of the damage, the globe was never relocated to the secretary’s office.
Furloughed Experts and a Lack of Patience
Standard procedure for moving historical items in the Pentagon involves a deliberate process overseen by trained curators. However, experts at the U.S. Army Center of Military History were furloughed during a partial government shutdown at the time of the move. This shutdown ended the same day the globe was damaged.
Rather than waiting for the specialists to return, Hegseth’s staff proceeded with the move themselves. One person familiar with the situation attributed the decision to an apparent lack of patience
.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wanted a historic World War II-era globe associated with Dwight D. Eisenhower moved to his Pentagon office. On February 3, his staff tried moving it without professional curators, who were furloughed during a government shutdown.They dropped the… pic.twitter.com/nmo99GJBzi
The lack of caution contrasted with the handling of a similar Eisenhower globe moved from a storage site in Alabama in recent years, which was secured in a crate and wrapped in protective covering.
Pentagon Officials View Blunder as Reflection of Hegseth
The blunder has become a source of ridicule and gossip within the building. Some officials viewed the incident as a reflection of Hegseth’s tenure, which they associate with brashness and a fondness for World War II nostalgia. This includes Hegseth using the title secretary of war
and attempting to rebrand the Defense Department as the War Department per an order from Donald Trump, though Congress has not approved the change.
Hegseth wants an Eisenhower totem to be like Ike, brilliant in war and peace. Hegseth is no Ike. The globe won’t give him Ike’s attributes of humility, intellect, and judgment.
Ty Seidule, retired brigadier general and former West Point history teacher
External critics have framed the event as a metaphor for the current Department of Defense. Weapons systems expert John Ridge suggested the act of breaking a historic artifact while ignoring trained experts was an apt metaphor
, while Pod Save America co-host Tommy Vietor described the incident as stupid, impulsive, driven by vanity
.
Yale historian Joanne Freeman questioned the disregard for expertise, writing, And of course, they ignored the TRAINED EXPERTS WHO HANDLE HISTORICAL ITEMS? Because EDUCATION? EXPERTISE? WHO NEEDS IT?
Similarly, David Simon, creator of the TV series The Wire, called the symbolism ridiculously obvious and unsubtle
, adding that the metaphor was too heavy-handed for a Hollywood drama.
They broke Eisenhower’s globe because they didn’t want to wait for a team of specialist historians to move it.I cannot think of a more apt metaphor for Pete Hegseth’s DoD. https://t.co/k2YQMw5HZw pic.twitter.com/xYVzCKoTjd
Drop Site reporter Ryan Grim remarked that the incident involving Hegseth’s frat brothers breaking Eisenhower’s globe is a bit too on the nose
.
Remaining Uncertainties
Several details regarding the incident remain unconfirmed. It is currently unclear whether the globe can be fully repaired or if it will be. While the Army confirmed the damage, it is not yet clear whether Hegseth personally ordered the relocation or if his aides acted independently. The Army is currently consulting experts on how to safely transport the artifact.
Hegseth’s frat brothers breaking Eisenhower’s globe is a bit too on the nose https://t.co/c1TYNuBcOF
More on Pete Hegseth
Kind of a perfect metaphor for Hegseth's entire tenure at DOD. Stupid, impulsive, driven by vanity and the result is destruction. https://t.co/yQOPrrvpZt
Pete Hegseth reportedly wanted Dwight Eisenhower's globe in his office, but did not want to wait for historians to move it and went rogue.Hegseth's staff then attempted to move it themselves and broke the historic globe. pic.twitter.com/JU2agk0ZhE