Ministry of Defense Fox News has learned that the Department of Defense has ordered an immediate global shutdown of its social media pages and is pausing all posts on all social media platforms, unless the posts are related to US military operations and deployments to protect the southern border.
The order came with Approval of President Donald Trump from the White House and will remain in place until his selection for Secretary of Defense is confirmed and otherwise directed, two senior US defense officials told Fox News.
The pause is expected to last for several days, while guidance is provided to each civilian public affairs officer and civilian in charge of social media sites.
The sources said all social media posts should reflect a focus solely on “fighting and killing.”
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Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, arrives for the 60th Presidential Inauguration on Monday, January 20, 2025. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
A senior defense official said the new administration wants to ensure that “all communications are consistent” with its goals. The pause only applies to social media posts. The sources said that press releases will be sent via email to reporters and published on the Ministry of Defense websites.
Civilian and military public affairs officers around the world will soon receive internal guidance on all military recruiting social media posts and outreach, postings from DoD schools, and postings from combatant commands on ongoing military operations.
Social media accounts will not be shut down, nor will past content be purged, but no new posts will be allowed until the future defense secretary, once confirmed, directs otherwise, a senior US defense official explained to Fox News.
“The Department of Defense is reviewing its social media programs to ensure they are aligned with President Trump’s priorities on readiness, lethality, and warfighting,” a senior Pentagon official told Fox News in a statement. “This temporary pause does not apply to content and images related to existing Department of Defense border security operations that were announced yesterday by Acting Secretary of Defense Robert J. Sales.”
Under previous administrations, including Biden's, the military has been criticized for its social media posts that focused on what critics called “vigilance” priorities.
the US Army In 2021, an animated recruitment ad telling the story of an Army corporal with two mothers was released as part of “The Calling” recruitment campaign, which depicted the diverse stories of five different service members.
“It begins in California with a little girl raised by two mothers,” narrator Cpl. Emma Malonelord said in the video. “Although I had a fairly typical childhood, I took up ballet, played the violin, and also marched for equality. I like to think I was advocating for freedom from an early age.”
Critics quickly expressed concern about the ad undermining confidence in the strength of the US military, Fox News Digital reported at the time. Many social media users posted side-by-side comparisons to announcements made by other countries' militaries.
“We are so doomed.” Media Research Center Dan Gaynor wrote at the time alongside the edited clip.
John Hawkins agreed at the time: “The Russians are building an army focused on killing people and breaking things. We seem to be building an army focused on being able to explain microaggressions and critical race theory to Afghan tribesmen.”
American flags and a Pride flag hang from the White House during the Pride Month celebration on the South Lawn on June 10, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Bals Sinita)
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At the start of Pride Month in 2022, the US Space Forces posted on X, highlighting Major General Leah Louderback's comments on the “QueerSpace” podcast.
“Major General Leah Louderback spoke about how the LIT team is working to change policy, change ideas, and create opportunities for LGBTQ+ members of the military,” the post stated.
On the same day, the official US Marine Corps account on X shared an illustration of a Marine helmet with rainbow-colored bullets.
“Throughout the month of June, the U.S. Marine Corps is proud to recognize and honor the contributions of our LGBTQ service members,” the military branch wrote. “We are committed to promoting an environment free of discrimination, and upholding the values of treating everyone equally, with dignity and respect.”
In June 2023, the US Air Force posted an illustration of the X during Pride Month, showing a service member saluting in front of a rainbow flag.
The post received nearly 6,000 comments.
“As an Air Force vet, I am embarrassed by this,” one critic wrote. “How far we have fallen as a proud nation. This bull— must end.”
“Today’s Pentagon and Joint Chiefs of Staff are a national embarrassment and destroy military readiness,” another wrote. “Disgraceful.”
The U.S. State Department recently adopted a “One Flag Policy” order from the Trump administration, which only allows the U.S. flag to be flown over U.S. buildings at home and abroad, with two notable exceptions, the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action flag and the “Prisoner of War/Missing in Action” detainee flag. Unjustly.
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Trump also ordered the closure of all government offices concerned with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). All federal DEI workers have been placed on paid administrative leave.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for further comment.
Fox News Digital's Yael Halon and Stephen Sorace contributed to this story.
