Hegseth had sought to move the globe into his office, but trained curators were absent. Rather than wait, his staff moved the globe themselves, with unfortunate results.

Amongst collectors of militaria, there is often a sentiment that one never really “owns” the items in their collection, but is rather a temporary caretaker of history. Some caretakers are better than others: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is facing embarrassment this week after it was revealed that his staff broke one of the two large floor globes used by General and later President Dwight D. Eisenhower during World War II.

Both globes are housed in the Pentagon, “where subsequent generations of Army leaders became custodians of the artifacts, according to people familiar with their lineage and an accompanying plaque dating them to the 1930s,” The Washington Post reported on Thursday.

In February, Hegseth decided to have one of the 30-inch globes relocated to his office as part of a redecoration effort. Under normal circumstances, trained curators would conduct such a move. However, as the government was partially shut down at the time, the curators had been furloughed; instead, Hegseth appears to have instructed his staff to move it themselves. The shutdown ended the same day, but there was an “apparent lack of patience,” a person familiar with the situation acknowledged.

It isn’t clear if the individuals who attempted the move even had the tools required to move it, or if they understood its historic significance. Given this, the move went almost as one might have expected.

“They lost control of the artifact and dropped it, sending the globe crashing onto its base and impaling the fragile shell near Antarctica, according to those familiar with the incident. The resulting gash appears to be several inches wide,” The Washington Post wrote.

After the Accident, Hegseth’s Staff Tried to Cover Up the Damage

The most noteworthy part of this story isn’t that the damage occurred. There are countless stories of items in museums suffering harm during maintenance or moving, without any ill will on the movers’ part.

The issue in this case is why it has taken months for the damage to the globe to be acknowledged. It was only after Post reporters reached out to the US Army that spokesperson Christopher Surridge responded, “The spherical portion of the globe was detached from the metal mounting that allows it to rotate.” Another Pentagon official responded after the story was published that “Accidents happen,” and added, “We are grateful no one was harmed, and the globe is being repaired.”

It is unclear what the repairs will entail, or how much they will cost.

“The episode became instant fodder for gossip and jokes inside the Pentagon, with some decrying the apparent brashness and affinity for World War II nostalgia that they characterized as common themes throughout Hegseth’s tenure as defense secretary,” The Washington Post noted.

This also raises the question as to whether US officials should or must disclose when a historic object is damaged, as it depends heavily on how the disclosure affects the safety of the resource and the specific federal laws governing it. Any unauthorized damage, excavation, or defacement of a historic object on federal land is a federal crime. Officials must document the damage and report violations to law enforcement or land management agencies, the Advisory Council of Historic Preservation explained. 

Hegseth also previously expressed anger over the removal and defacing of historical statues, frequently framing these actions as attempts to “erase American history,” stating, “Unlike the Left, we don’t believe in erasing American history—we honor it.”

It didn’t seem like Ike’s globe was treated with the respect it deserved.

Eisenhower Liked Globes

There are many photos that show the World War II general and later president posing by globes. The one Hegseth’s staff damaged was believed to be used by Ike while he served on the General Staff as Chief of the War Plans Division from February to March 1942.

The other Pentagon globe tied to Eisenhower is on display in the office of the chief of staff of the US Army. It reportedly has pen marks from both Ike and General Omar Bradley, indicating they were using its geography as a basis for geopolitical plans.

Eisenhower gave another globe to his commander-in-chief, President Harry S. Truman, after World War II, and that globe remained in the Oval Office throughout both the Truman and Eisenhower administrations. The globe is now on loan to the Truman Library in Missouri.

It is also unclear if Hegseth wanted the globe for its historic connection to Eisenhower, or if there was another reason for his interest.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. He has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines, and websites over a 30-year career in journalism, including Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author at Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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