Brandon Newsom out of a job with Navy after bashing Trump

Brandon Newsom, the former head (or director) of business operations in the Office of the Secretary of the Navy at the Pentagon, is no longer employed by the Department of the Navy. He didn't so much as quit as he needed to leave under the circumstances, following the release of undercover hidden-camera footage in which he criticized President Donald Trump and discussed plans to reverse administration policies.

The footage was recorded by conservative activist James O’Keefe and published online on July 22, 2026. 

In the video, Newsom (who described overseeing corporate operations such as HR, IT, and security) referred to Trump as a “textbook narcissist.” He called the ongoing war with Iran “completely stupid” and “driven by one man’s ego,” as if his plan didn't involve his own high-level ego. 

He said he hoped to “stay and stick it out” at the Pentagon “so that way, when the time comes, I can undo whatever’s been done” by the Trump administration. Kind of egotistical if you ask me. 

Specific policies he mentioned included religious/prayer services at the Pentagon (objecting to “one specific” service) and changes to employee “schedule policy” that he said stripped protections.

Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao placed Newsom on administrative leave “effective immediately” after the video emerged, stating that the Department of the Navy “takes the conduct shown in this video extremely seriously” and that such statements and apparent intent to undermine policies set by elected leaders were “inappropriate and incompatible with the standards expected of Department personnel.” 

On or around July 26, 2026, Cao confirmed: “The individual is no longer employed by the Department of the Navy.” It is unclear from reports whether Newsom resigned or was terminated; the Pentagon referred questions to the Navy.

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.  

News outlets have noted the context of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s efforts under the Trump administration to reverse what it describes as “woke” policies (including DEI programs) in the military, along with other personnel and cultural changes at the Pentagon. 

Some reports indicate O’Keefe presented the encounter as occurring during a “gay date,” with O’Keefe in disguise. Newsweek and other outlets have stated they have not independently verified the recording.

This is the dominant recent news involving the name Brandon Newsom as of late July 2026. (Note: A different individual, a former Holmes County, Florida, commissioner also named Brandon Newsom/Brandon Brown Newsom, faced felony charges related to bail bond activities in 2025, was suspended by Gov. Ron DeSantis, and has been linked to local political activity, but that is separate and older.)

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