You're listening to the Buck Sexton Show podcast. Make sure you subscribe to the podcast on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. Joining us on this episode, Gabrielle Kuccia is with us. She is the Pentagon correspondent for One American News. He's out of DC paying attention to all things D O D Gary. Congratulations on the gig. By the way, I've been seeing the clips from One America News.

You're listening to the Buck Sexton Show podcast. Make sure you subscribe to the podcast on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. Joining us on this episode, Gabrielle Kuccia is with us. She is the Pentagon correspondent for One American News. He's out of DC paying attention to all things D O D Gary. Congratulations on the gig. By the way, I've been seeing the clips from One America News.

Let's start with this.

Let's start with this.

So we got Pete heg Seth, who's an old buddy of mine from Media World. Sean Parnell, buddy of mine from Media World. These are the hex at the Secretary of Defense, Parnell's under secretary for Public Affairs or communications. What are some of the top things. What are some of the initiatives underway right now in the Pentagon and for the military, because it's not getting as much attention this week as some of the other big Trump initiatives.

So we got Pete heg Seth, who's an old buddy of mine from Media World. Sean Parnell, buddy of mine from Media World. These are the hex at the Secretary of Defense, Parnell's under secretary for Public Affairs or communications. What are some of the top things. What are some of the initiatives underway right now in the Pentagon and for the military, because it's not getting as much attention this week as some of the other big Trump initiatives.

Yeah, of course, Well, Buck, thanks for having me again.

Yeah, of course, Well, Buck, thanks for having me again.

It feels really good to be at the Pentagon, especially just before I even get into the specifics.

It feels really good to be at the Pentagon, especially just before I even get into the specifics.

You know you have.

You know you have.

I know this isn't news for you, but you have public affairs officers from every single brand to the military, and then by the Calm Center, of which they're strategically located to evaluate and to connect with the press on all arenas, whether it's Paycom, indocom or you know, down in South America wherever it may be. So when we talk about the White House as it stands right now, of course, the media is just so worked up when there's directives or executive orders coming out at the Oval Office. But a lot of what Trump has done in that first term and certainly to be seen in the second term when you talk about Ukraine or the Gaza Strip or whatever it may be, or the Southern border right now, that that's under a DoD directive more so than it ever has been in our history. A lot of that stuff comes and boils up at the surface level of the Oval Office, but it's all happening at the Pentagon. So this is an insanely transparent administration. You have those public affairs officers, they're at the ready to answer any and all questions. I'll even tell you just on being purely honest, being in that arena and seeing all the press, whether it's mainstream, left right, independent media, they're all talking in person. There's no closed door to any of these public affairs officers. So when you see the changes at the DoD that are incredibly positive, which I'll get into, it's wild that, you know, the military tries, you know, their best right to stay out of politics and focus solely on operations. And then you see some of these news networks of which you know, one of the ones that we kind of absolved their suite that the Pentagon had given them, and they're kind of just taking that information and then you know, course correcting it and within their eyes what they deem to be undeployable measures or bad takes by the Department of Defense, which is wild. I'd say the positive thing right now that some people are just missing all in all is outside of going through just the operations, it's just how the military operates. We saw that President Trump put out in executive order in which transgender militants cannot be deployable, and we already knew this, which is really interesting that historically, back in twenty twenty one, transgender soul quote unquote allowed or permissible in the Department of Defense, but they were never deployable for a few reasons, right like they couldn't have access in specific arenas to their medications.

I know this isn't news for you, but you have public affairs officers from every single brand to the military, and then by the Calm Center, of which they're strategically located to evaluate and to connect with the press on all arenas, whether it's Paycom, indocom or you know, down in South America wherever it may be. So when we talk about the White House as it stands right now, of course, the media is just so worked up when there's directives or executive orders coming out at the Oval Office. But a lot of what Trump has done in that first term and certainly to be seen in the second term when you talk about Ukraine or the Gaza Strip or whatever it may be, or the Southern border right now, that that's under a DoD directive more so than it ever has been in our history. A lot of that stuff comes and boils up at the surface level of the Oval Office, but it's all happening at the Pentagon. So this is an insanely transparent administration. You have those public affairs officers, they're at the ready to answer any and all questions. I'll even tell you just on being purely honest, being in that arena and seeing all the press, whether it's mainstream, left right, independent media, they're all talking in person. There's no closed door to any of these public affairs officers. So when you see the changes at the DoD that are incredibly positive, which I'll get into, it's wild that, you know, the military tries, you know, their best right to stay out of politics and focus solely on operations. And then you see some of these news networks of which you know, one of the ones that we kind of absolved their suite that the Pentagon had given them, and they're kind of just taking that information and then you know, course correcting it and within their eyes what they deem to be undeployable measures or bad takes by the Department of Defense, which is wild. I'd say the positive thing right now that some people are just missing all in all is outside of going through just the operations, it's just how the military operates. We saw that President Trump put out in executive order in which transgender militants cannot be deployable, and we already knew this, which is really interesting that historically, back in twenty twenty one, transgender soul quote unquote allowed or permissible in the Department of Defense, but they were never deployable for a few reasons, right like they couldn't have access in specific arenas to their medications.

Especially with covecom.

Especially with covecom.

You cannot have those weekly mandated or monthly mandated conversations with your mental health professional when you're going through quote unquote transition. So they were never being utilized in ways that warfighters are typically used.

You cannot have those weekly mandated or monthly mandated conversations with your mental health professional when you're going through quote unquote transition. So they were never being utilized in ways that warfighters are typically used.

So this is more of just course correcting.

So this is more of just course correcting.

Hey, we have all these bodies that aren't even able bodied in the sense of war fighting. So that's a huge positive that came out of this administration. But there's been a lot of media and conversations that I've had with other outlets in which they are so hyper focused on asking the DoD to prove and show elements or studies of which it shows that transgenders aren't able to serve in the military in a certain capacity. But I would just say, purely on an operational level and access to medicine and whatever it may be, you can only put so much in your path depending on.

Hey, we have all these bodies that aren't even able bodied in the sense of war fighting. So that's a huge positive that came out of this administration. But there's been a lot of media and conversations that I've had with other outlets in which they are so hyper focused on asking the DoD to prove and show elements or studies of which it shows that transgenders aren't able to serve in the military in a certain capacity. But I would just say, purely on an operational level and access to medicine and whatever it may be, you can only put so much in your path depending on.

What deployable you're entering.

What deployable you're entering.

So that was a great That was a first great dodge at you know, re re sending what the Biden administration had already done in inflating the DoD.

So that was a great That was a first great dodge at you know, re re sending what the Biden administration had already done in inflating the DoD.

Israeli citizens look for the return of normalcy in their country. It's hard to do when there are Ceaspire negotiations happening, when there's increased tensions between Hamas and the IDF forces. Nearly eighteen months after the Hamas invasion and brutal attack, life is not normal for everyone in Israel. As israelis work hard to return to a life of normalcy, The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has continued to support those in the Holy Land facing the lingering horrors of war and those who are in desperate need. Your ongoing monthly gift of forty five dollars will provide critically needed aid to communities in the North and South parts of Israel devastated by the ongoing war. Your generous donation each month will help deliver to those in need. You can provide hope during a time of great uncertainty with your gift. Bless Israel and her people by visiting SUPPORTIFCJ dot org. That's one word support, IFCJ dot org. We'll call eighty eight four eight eight. IFCJ that's eight eight eight four eight eight IFCJ. I've seen some reporting about senior level military brass getting shown the door by Secretary Defense heg Seth because of their dei obsession or some of the ideological stuff that they were pushing. Has that happened, Is that still underway? What's the status of that?

Israeli citizens look for the return of normalcy in their country. It's hard to do when there are Ceaspire negotiations happening, when there's increased tensions between Hamas and the IDF forces. Nearly eighteen months after the Hamas invasion and brutal attack, life is not normal for everyone in Israel. As israelis work hard to return to a life of normalcy, The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has continued to support those in the Holy Land facing the lingering horrors of war and those who are in desperate need. Your ongoing monthly gift of forty five dollars will provide critically needed aid to communities in the North and South parts of Israel devastated by the ongoing war. Your generous donation each month will help deliver to those in need. You can provide hope during a time of great uncertainty with your gift. Bless Israel and her people by visiting SUPPORTIFCJ dot org. That's one word support, IFCJ dot org. We'll call eighty eight four eight eight. IFCJ that's eight eight eight four eight eight IFCJ. I've seen some reporting about senior level military brass getting shown the door by Secretary Defense heg Seth because of their dei obsession or some of the ideological stuff that they were pushing. Has that happened, Is that still underway? What's the status of that?

Oh?

Oh?

Yeah, that's absolutely still underway. I mean a lot of people have been blowing smoke saying that this is very a traditional from how an administration works, but not so much. There are these top officials within the DoD that are being evaluated and rightfully so. I mean, even not to jump too far ahead, but you talk about the Afghan withdrawal, there's a lot of whispers in the hallways on what's going on with the Afghan withdrawal, whether this is going to be a full on investigation or is this a review. You can see in public source open source that there was a review in which intelligence information was given and gathered appropriately. But the Biden administration and say Milli to be specific, looked at that and made the calls that they still did, which resulted in that terrible withdrawal and cobble. But at the end of the day, people still need to answer to that this administration is not taking that lightly, and I know that they're at least I think they're going towards a direction of a pure investigation because people do need to be physically.

Yeah, that's absolutely still underway. I mean a lot of people have been blowing smoke saying that this is very a traditional from how an administration works, but not so much. There are these top officials within the DoD that are being evaluated and rightfully so. I mean, even not to jump too far ahead, but you talk about the Afghan withdrawal, there's a lot of whispers in the hallways on what's going on with the Afghan withdrawal, whether this is going to be a full on investigation or is this a review. You can see in public source open source that there was a review in which intelligence information was given and gathered appropriately. But the Biden administration and say Milli to be specific, looked at that and made the calls that they still did, which resulted in that terrible withdrawal and cobble. But at the end of the day, people still need to answer to that this administration is not taking that lightly, and I know that they're at least I think they're going towards a direction of a pure investigation because people do need to be physically.

Removed after that terrible withdrawal.

Removed after that terrible withdrawal.

But outside of that too, when you talk about the DEI programs, I mean these top officials were implementing and rolling out and saying it's okay. Even though the Biden administration said these things are acceptable. It trickles down. It's top down, right, So even if the Biden administration like what they did. They rolled out a memo in which they allowed the military to grow out their hair or have their beards, do hair dye or highlights, or even nail polished, which sounds incredibly silly, but they said that those things are allowed.

But outside of that too, when you talk about the DEI programs, I mean these top officials were implementing and rolling out and saying it's okay. Even though the Biden administration said these things are acceptable. It trickles down. It's top down, right, So even if the Biden administration like what they did. They rolled out a memo in which they allowed the military to grow out their hair or have their beards, do hair dye or highlights, or even nail polished, which sounds incredibly silly, but they said that those things are allowed.

But on an operational level, it's absolutely not allowed.

But on an operational level, it's absolutely not allowed.

In particular places where it's more of covert operations where you don't want to just signal out yourself to an adversary. Those questions need to be answered. And at this point it's really interesting because a lot of the times, with a chain of command in the military, it could be an easy answer of well, it was directed by the president that this was allowed, But then you have to go under all of that and look at, well, operationally was this cohesive with the.

In particular places where it's more of covert operations where you don't want to just signal out yourself to an adversary. Those questions need to be answered. And at this point it's really interesting because a lot of the times, with a chain of command in the military, it could be an easy answer of well, it was directed by the president that this was allowed, But then you have to go under all of that and look at, well, operationally was this cohesive with the.

Mission, and it's not.

Mission, and it's not.

And a lot of times people are forgetting in this culture war that we're in, the individuality is not celebrated. In the military, Individuality in ability is and recognized and those people are placed in physicians pertinent to what they can and can't do. But as far as the aesthetics, I mean, in what world does that ever actually work in the military. Who's stopping for a quick second on the battlefront and going I like those uniforms.

And a lot of times people are forgetting in this culture war that we're in, the individuality is not celebrated. In the military, Individuality in ability is and recognized and those people are placed in physicians pertinent to what they can and can't do. But as far as the aesthetics, I mean, in what world does that ever actually work in the military. Who's stopping for a quick second on the battlefront and going I like those uniforms.

I want to check those out. I'm not going to shoot you. Just doesn't happen.

I want to check those out. I'm not going to shoot you. Just doesn't happen.

So there's a lot more turnover that's going to be placed at the Pentagon. I mean, the first first week or two of Hegseth being on in there, the top commanders were removed. So there's also another element though too for some commanders. There was one specific in the Navy where there was a ship crash, and for things like that, a chain of commit they're going to be removed. A lot of mainstream media was sounding the alarm again saying that this was part of the DOGE effort. But that's just traditional DoD operations. As something goes.

So there's a lot more turnover that's going to be placed at the Pentagon. I mean, the first first week or two of Hegseth being on in there, the top commanders were removed. So there's also another element though too for some commanders. There was one specific in the Navy where there was a ship crash, and for things like that, a chain of commit they're going to be removed. A lot of mainstream media was sounding the alarm again saying that this was part of the DOGE effort. But that's just traditional DoD operations. As something goes.

Around, are there already signs that there'll be specific DoD and DOGE collaboration on things like the Pentagon audit that apparently can never be passed. I mean, what can you tell us about cutting or trimming the fat within the military industrial complex as part of all this, Yeah.

Around, are there already signs that there'll be specific DoD and DOGE collaboration on things like the Pentagon audit that apparently can never be passed. I mean, what can you tell us about cutting or trimming the fat within the military industrial complex as part of all this, Yeah.

Fair question.

Fair question.

Well, the DOGE team came into the Pentagon and they conducted an initial audit and they're still conducting more now.

Well, the DOGE team came into the Pentagon and they conducted an initial audit and they're still conducting more now.

In that initial audit they focused on mostly like.

In that initial audit they focused on mostly like.

As you know, typical those DEI initiatives to and then you know, kind of on that same level, the climate change initiatives, in which there was a lot of pushback to where it was, well, the DoD needs to know about the climate to be able to react, going back into their logistics of planning and posturing themselves all across the country now I mean considering the southern border, but certainly globally.

As you know, typical those DEI initiatives to and then you know, kind of on that same level, the climate change initiatives, in which there was a lot of pushback to where it was, well, the DoD needs to know about the climate to be able to react, going back into their logistics of planning and posturing themselves all across the country now I mean considering the southern border, but certainly globally.

But this is more of a point.

But this is more of a point.

Of you cut out the fat, which is what DOG has done with the DEI initiatives at the Pentagon specifically. Now you're parsing out these other elements of which we still have other government agencies and entities that do cross sharing with DoD liaisons that can give them that said, you know, precious climate information to relay back when it's missionmpertinent. So I expect after the DEI, after the climate change acxing, it's going to be more on the sense of what else is already actually being conducted, especially because you know, BUCK, the DoD and the IC integrate tremendously, so that's not necessarily going to change, but it's reallocating those efforts that are already established. Looking at something like Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, there's plenty of organizations and government agencies that already fulfilled these these asks or the need for intel that are already being provided. You don't need to just completely blow the system and have I guess your desk officers there and doing the same reinventing of the wheel that's already been created. So I think those are the things that they're still going to be focusing on. There's a lot more clean house to do on that front, but again it's kind of been a little bit more less emphasized considering you know, Ukraine, Gaza, Southern.

Of you cut out the fat, which is what DOG has done with the DEI initiatives at the Pentagon specifically. Now you're parsing out these other elements of which we still have other government agencies and entities that do cross sharing with DoD liaisons that can give them that said, you know, precious climate information to relay back when it's missionmpertinent. So I expect after the DEI, after the climate change acxing, it's going to be more on the sense of what else is already actually being conducted, especially because you know, BUCK, the DoD and the IC integrate tremendously, so that's not necessarily going to change, but it's reallocating those efforts that are already established. Looking at something like Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, there's plenty of organizations and government agencies that already fulfilled these these asks or the need for intel that are already being provided. You don't need to just completely blow the system and have I guess your desk officers there and doing the same reinventing of the wheel that's already been created. So I think those are the things that they're still going to be focusing on. There's a lot more clean house to do on that front, but again it's kind of been a little bit more less emphasized considering you know, Ukraine, Gaza, Southern.

Border, all the like.

Border, all the like.

Earlier this week, on Wednesday morning, a conversation came out on video between my father and me. He shared his most recent prediction on what's next in the stock markets. This is in my dad's wheelhouse. He made his life's work predicting the markets with a lot of success. My dad made his living researching and predicting the stock markets. And now you can see his latest prediction and the thinking behind that online. It's at a website setup for you to watch on demand Disruption twenty twenty five dot com. It's video and it's super easy for you to register free of charge to check this out. My dad created a name for himself on Wall Street with his big prediction back in nineteen eighty seven that the stock market was going to crash, and it did. His predictions since then are too numerous to mention, but needless to say, you want to check out his next one, sign up for this free event go watch it yourself. Disruption twenty twenty five dot com. That's Disruption twenty twenty five dot com, paid for by Paradigm Press. How's morale would you say from inside the Pentagon given all these changes? And I'm sure the the uh you know, the gray hairs who got the boot by secondary Hegseth are not happy. But I just mean from the as much as you can pick it up from the rank and file. Do a lot of them feel like, hey, a focus on war fighting and cleaning up some of the bureaucratic mess here is a good thing, or because in other place is not right, like USAID does not want the mess cleaned up.

Earlier this week, on Wednesday morning, a conversation came out on video between my father and me. He shared his most recent prediction on what's next in the stock markets. This is in my dad's wheelhouse. He made his life's work predicting the markets with a lot of success. My dad made his living researching and predicting the stock markets. And now you can see his latest prediction and the thinking behind that online. It's at a website setup for you to watch on demand Disruption twenty twenty five dot com. It's video and it's super easy for you to register free of charge to check this out. My dad created a name for himself on Wall Street with his big prediction back in nineteen eighty seven that the stock market was going to crash, and it did. His predictions since then are too numerous to mention, but needless to say, you want to check out his next one, sign up for this free event go watch it yourself. Disruption twenty twenty five dot com. That's Disruption twenty twenty five dot com, paid for by Paradigm Press. How's morale would you say from inside the Pentagon given all these changes? And I'm sure the the uh you know, the gray hairs who got the boot by secondary Hegseth are not happy. But I just mean from the as much as you can pick it up from the rank and file. Do a lot of them feel like, hey, a focus on war fighting and cleaning up some of the bureaucratic mess here is a good thing, or because in other place is not right, like USAID does not want the mess cleaned up.

But is the.

But is the.

Pentagon pretty is there? Is the rank and file pretty positive about this stuff?

Pentagon pretty is there? Is the rank and file pretty positive about this stuff?

Yeah? Yeah, it absolutely is no question about it.

Yeah? Yeah, it absolutely is no question about it.

That's like the one you know, that's there's so many reasons why I love focusing on DoD and icy operations and then being there in person just takes.

That's like the one you know, that's there's so many reasons why I love focusing on DoD and icy operations and then being there in person just takes.

It to a whole other level.

It to a whole other level.

But it's because these are people that genuinely do not to sound so cliche, but they genuinely do love their country.

But it's because these are people that genuinely do not to sound so cliche, but they genuinely do love their country.

They're still holding on too.

They're still holding on too.

I was in the hallway last week and I was talking to some senior military officials on the army side, and they were all just recounting the very first you know, propaganda esque, you know, join the Army, first commercial they ever saw as kids, and then being there for so long, some of these ten twenty thirty years some of them, and seeing the complete culture shift change, being bloated with people that are just again we talk about even military standards, that's going to be a huge thing that's changing, and the physical fitness side, and these standards were being lowered, and the floodgates had opened that it wasn't this war fighting complex that these guys signed up for. I'll tell you they're incredibly eager and want to be a part of the efforts at the Southern border. I know Northcom and Southcom announced that they're bothstering more joint efforts, especially on the drone side, and I only think that's going to continue. It is a direct conduit into the results that we've seen at the Southern border. Being far less aggressive by the cartel because they just don't.

I was in the hallway last week and I was talking to some senior military officials on the army side, and they were all just recounting the very first you know, propaganda esque, you know, join the Army, first commercial they ever saw as kids, and then being there for so long, some of these ten twenty thirty years some of them, and seeing the complete culture shift change, being bloated with people that are just again we talk about even military standards, that's going to be a huge thing that's changing, and the physical fitness side, and these standards were being lowered, and the floodgates had opened that it wasn't this war fighting complex that these guys signed up for. I'll tell you they're incredibly eager and want to be a part of the efforts at the Southern border. I know Northcom and Southcom announced that they're bothstering more joint efforts, especially on the drone side, and I only think that's going to continue. It is a direct conduit into the results that we've seen at the Southern border. Being far less aggressive by the cartel because they just don't.

Have the defense spending.

Have the defense spending.

They're super lucrative, right, but the DoD has a nine hundred billion defense budget and that just doesn't compare. You look at China, they're sitting at you know, three hundred billion. So we're far surpassing them at this moment, and we're far more capable and have the right resources. Again, it's just cutting the fat and redirecting where the mission set is. So the sentiments in the morale within the building is an absolute yes. I think the other the only heartburn that people would see when it comes to these DOGE audits or say the Afghan withdrawal, from what I've heard was we're you know again, DoD follows a chain of command. So when there is intel being presented and it's not being acknowledged or chosen to be factored or digested in a different way to make poor operational decisions, it's really tough for those people that are kind of, you know, a level or two below that higher call to defend themselves other than saying I listened to my most senior officer and that's what I decided to do.

They're super lucrative, right, but the DoD has a nine hundred billion defense budget and that just doesn't compare. You look at China, they're sitting at you know, three hundred billion. So we're far surpassing them at this moment, and we're far more capable and have the right resources. Again, it's just cutting the fat and redirecting where the mission set is. So the sentiments in the morale within the building is an absolute yes. I think the other the only heartburn that people would see when it comes to these DOGE audits or say the Afghan withdrawal, from what I've heard was we're you know again, DoD follows a chain of command. So when there is intel being presented and it's not being acknowledged or chosen to be factored or digested in a different way to make poor operational decisions, it's really tough for those people that are kind of, you know, a level or two below that higher call to defend themselves other than saying I listened to my most senior officer and that's what I decided to do.

So I think that's the bigger picture.

So I think that's the bigger picture.

All this cultural shift, all the mandates that are being dropped, all good, everyone's happy with it.

All this cultural shift, all the mandates that are being dropped, all good, everyone's happy with it.

But now it's.

But now it's.

People having to answer to direct orders that they you know, buy the signature on the contract that they put down to join the military, how to follow through with So it would be really interesting to see how heg Seth and his team kind of course course correct and make right from things like the Afghan withdrawal, considering that they also understand the chain of command is what made everyone's hands tied to a degree. O.

People having to answer to direct orders that they you know, buy the signature on the contract that they put down to join the military, how to follow through with So it would be really interesting to see how heg Seth and his team kind of course course correct and make right from things like the Afghan withdrawal, considering that they also understand the chain of command is what made everyone's hands tied to a degree. O.

A and Pentagon correspondent Gabriell Kuccia. Great to see you. We'll talk to you again soon about all things Do D.

A and Pentagon correspondent Gabriell Kuccia. Great to see you. We'll talk to you again soon about all things Do D.

Sounds great. Thanks Buck for having me

Sounds great. Thanks Buck for having me