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June 02, 2025 – USA –
Gabrielle Cuccia, a self‑described “MAGA girl,” was OAN’s Pentagon correspondent until late May 2025. Coca‑coloured openly loyal to former President Trump, she didn’t hide her views—until she crossed an unwritten line. Three days after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth introduced new restrictions on reporters’ movements in the Pentagon, Cuccia published a Substack post on Memorial Day titled “The Secretary of Defense‑ive.” In it, she slammed Hegseth for micromanaging press access and criticized his team, stating that real leaks came from senior Pentagon officials, not from journalists sneaking into secure spaces.
Her exact words reflect the tone:
“The Pentagon wants to paint a picture that journalists are freely roaming classified spaces… And that is simply not true..… It would be painfully obvious if a reporter were in a space they didn’t belong.”
She also questioned why Hegseth had yet to conduct a Pentagon briefing, writing: “The Commander‑in‑Chief welcomes the hard questions… and yes, even the dumb ones. Why won’t the Secretary of Defense do the same?”
Within days, her Pentagon badge was revoked, and she said she was fired. The Defense Department clarified it did not yank her credentials, suggesting OAN made the internal decision. OAN president Charles Herring declined to comment on personnel matters.
Observers note this reflects a broader reality: even overtly partisan outlets like OAN enforce limits on criticism of aligned political figures. “There is no room, if you’re on the team, to say anything negative,” said journalism professor Tom Rosenstiel. While legacy media strictly discourage reporters from expressing personal opinions about subjects they cover, partisan outlets may tolerate opinion, but only within narrow boundaries.
The Pentagon Press Association also condemned Hegseth’s access limits, calling them “a direct assault on the freedom of the press”. Cuccia’s case highlights tensions within pro‑Trump media: they may champion loyalty, but not dissent.
Reference –
https://ktla.com/news/ap-us-news/ap-oans-pentagon-reporter-learns-the-limits-of-expressing-her-own-opinion/
https://www.barchart.com/story/news/32687723/oan-s-pentagon-reporter-learns-the-limits-of-expressing-her-own-opinion
