‘Answering this call was my duty and the fulfillment of my oath’
Page A6From§Eachthe late evening edition — 31 August 2026
Pentagon quietly hired MAGA influencers as Navy launches 'MALICE' missile
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The Pentagon’s quiet hiring of MAGA-aligned influencers to push Hegseth’s agenda pairs neatly with the Navy’s unveiling of the MALICE missile, designed for extreme-range strikes. The defense apparatus is no longer content with hardware alone; it now requires a social media chorus to sing its praises. The receipt is clear: the missile launches, the influencer posts, and the public is invited to cheer. Nothing says modern war like a trending tag and a missile named for spite. The walk from budget to broadcast is short, and the power sits comfortably beside the launch button. The stakes are measured in likes and payloads, and the price tags are paid in both currencies.
“They’re building missiles named Malice and paying influencers to cheer it on. The war machine needs a hype man, and the hype man needs a new missile to sell. That’s how you end up with a trending hashtag and a bigger defense bill.”
“The Pentagon’s outreach is just modern communications—nothing sinister about hiring influencers to promote readiness. The MALICE missile is a technological leap, and public support is crucial. If some influencers happen to align with certain agendas, that’s just good targeting—wait, not targeting, I meant messaging.”
The receipts
Raytheon is developing a new 1,500-pound long-range missile, the AIM-424 LRAAM, to extend the reach and survivability of Navy and Marine aviators.
This page is a back-issue: the story as it ran, receipts as they were. The current edition is at the front.