Staff Reports
RedState is out with an exclusive that reads like a Washington soap opera. The site reports that a June retirement party for Col. Dave Butler — billed as “The 5th Annual Butler Rager: Fired and Retired Edition” — included retired Gen. Mark A. Milley, then‑Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll, and several journalists who have published anonymously sourced pieces critical of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. If the guest list is accurate, the party mixes career generals, a top civilian leader, and reporters in a way that raises real questions about media access and insider influence.
What RedState Is Reporting
RedState’s exclusive names attendees and reproduces images of an invitation promising “keg taps” and cocktails. The piece quotes anonymous Pentagon sources and says Col. Butler at one point responded “Awesome” when told a reporter had been at the event. RedState specifically alleges that Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief of The Atlantic, and Atlantic reporters Nancy Youssef and Missy Ryan were among those present. Those claims are tied to RedState’s reporting and its unnamed sources — not to on‑the‑record confirmations from the people named.
Why This Allegation Matters
We should care because perception matters in national security. The Pentagon and the press both claim independence. But when senior officers, a civilian Army secretary, and journalists known for anonymously sourced, inside‑the‑Pentagon stories gather for a bash, it feeds suspicions of media collusion and coordinated leaks — especially in the wake of “Signalgate” and the bitter public clashes between Secretary Pete Hegseth and some Army leaders. To Hegseth’s allies, this looks like more than a party; it looks like the kind of swampy social mixing that erodes trust.
What Still Needs To Be Proved
Important caveats: RedState appears to be the only outlet publishing this guest‑list allegation so far. There are no widely published photos, social posts from attendees, or on‑the‑record confirmations from The Atlantic, Milley, Driscoll, Butler, or the Pentagon in the public domain. That means this is an allegation, not an established fact. Reporters should seek on‑the‑record comments, original digital images of the invitation, metadata, and any contemporaneous social posts or photos. The Atlantic and the Pentagon should be asked directly for answers. Independent verification is the responsible next step.
Bottom line
If RedState’s reporting checks out, the optics are terrible and demand accountability. If it doesn’t, then those pushing the story owe readers a correction. Either way, the episode highlights why transparency matters in Washington: voters deserve to know whether senior officials and the press are swapping confidences at keg taps while taxpayers fund both the military and newsrooms. No one should be surprised if this claim sparks calls for answers — and a few more uncomfortable questions for the folks who run the Pentagon’s public affairs and those who cover it.
