Eisenhower-era globe damaged in attempted move to Hegseth's Pentagon office, Army says

A 1930s globe prized by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was badly damaged when his aides tried to move it to his Pentagon office themselves, the Washington Post reported Thursday. Army officials have confirmed the damage. The globe was never moved and is being repaired ¹².

The 30-inch globe is said to have been used by Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th president, as he planned the D-Day landings in World War II ¹. A plaque at the Pentagon describes that as a "popular theory" and says it was believed to have been used by Eisenhower in 1942 ².

What the Army admits

Photographs published by the Post show fragments of the globe on a hallway carpet. They also show a gash in its bottom, with the base punched through ¹. An Army spokesperson told the Post the damage happened during "an attempted move" ¹.

The spherical portion of the globe was detached from the metal mounting that allows it to rotate,

According to the Post's sources, Hegseth liked the globe and asked for it to be put in his office. His aides moved fast and sent their own team instead of waiting for specialist movers ¹. The Army confirmed the incident took place on Feb. 3 ².

Another report says Army historians who would normally advise on a move like this were furloughed (sent home without pay) during a partial government shutdown. Hegseth's staff tried the move without them ². That detail comes from the Post's reporting and is not confirmed by the Army in the coverage we reviewed.

The Pentagon's response

A spokesperson for the war department, the name the Defense Department has given itself under President Trump, gave the Guardian a different account. The spokesperson said staff were moving a replica of the Eisenhower globe ¹. Other coverage describes the Eisenhower globe itself, so the accounts conflict ¹².

Accidents happen, we are grateful no one was harmed, and the globe is being repaired.

It is unclear whether Hegseth personally ordered the move, and his office did not respond to the Post's request for comment, according to one report ².

Why it matters

That matters because historic objects in federal buildings belong to the public, not to any one official. A specialist firm that moved a similar Eisenhower globe in Alabama in 2022 described building custom protective crating, because the globe is considered priceless ¹. By the Post's account, Hegseth's team did not wait for that kind of care ¹.

The cost of repairs has not been reported. No investigation has been announced in the coverage we reviewed. Questions for the Pentagon include who made the decision to skip trained movers, what the repair will cost taxpayers, and whether the department has rules for handling historic items. None of those questions has been answered publicly yet ¹².

The Record

1. Feb 3, 2026The Army says the Eisenhower-era globe was damaged during an attempted move at the Pentagon ².
2. Oct 22, 2026The Washington Post publishes photos of the damaged globe, and the Army acknowledges the damage ¹.

Sources

1. The Guardian, “Pete Hegseth's staff break priceless historic globe he requested for office” (2026-10-22). theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/22/pete-hegseth-eisenhower-
2. The National News Desk (Local12), “Hegseth's staff dropped globe believed to be used by Eisenhower in Pentagon move” (2026-10-22). local12.com/news/nation-world/hegseths-staff-dropped-globe-b

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