John Ullyot, a prominent spokesperson for the Pentagon during President Donald Trump’s second term, has resigned following a series of controversies.
Ullyot, known for his strong support of Trump’s efforts to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) content from government websites, faced backlash after the Pentagon removed a page dedicated to Jackie Robinson, the first Black player in Major League Baseball.
Ullyot’s resignation comes at a challenging time for the Pentagon. Three senior staff members have been put on administrative leave as part of an investigation into leaks regarding military actions, including the mishandling of a top-secret chat related to military operations in Yemen. Dan Caldwell, one of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s top advisers, was escorted out of the Pentagon after being identified as a potential source of the leaks.
Darin Selnick, Hegseth’s deputy chief of staff, and Colin Carroll, chief of staff to Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg, were also placed on leave.
Among the leaks, one suggested that Elon Musk was going to be briefed on classified plans regarding a possible war with China. This meeting was reportedly halted by Trump, who reacted strongly, questioning Musk’s involvement in such sensitive matters.
Ullyot’s focus on the removal of DEI-related content was criticized when the Pentagon purged a webpage about Robinson, whose groundbreaking role in baseball was seen as a symbol of both military service and racial progress.
This move led to public outrage. Ullyot had referred to DEI initiatives as “a form of Woke cultural Marxism” that undermined military cohesion.
As a result of the backlash, Ullyot was moved to a less public role within the Pentagon and was eventually replaced by combat veteran and former congressional candidate Sean Parnell.
Following his demotion, Ullyot struggled to find a new position within the Department of Defense. He confirmed his resignation in a statement, explaining that he had made it clear to Secretary Hegseth that he was not interested in a behind-the-scenes role.
After discussions with Hegseth about a new position, which ended without an agreement, Ullyot decided to leave the Pentagon.
Ullyot, a former Marine, was a key member of Trump’s communications team during the 2016 presidential campaign and later served in various positions, including head of communications for the National Security Council and assistant secretary of public affairs at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
His tenure at the Pentagon also saw significant changes to the Pentagon’s press pool, with several mainstream outlets, including The New York Times, NPR, and Politico, losing their workspaces, which were reassigned to pro-Trump organizations like Breitbart and One America News Network.
Ullyot’s resignation marks the end of a controversial chapter in his career, amidst ongoing tensions within the Pentagon and the broader political landscape.