"Put It in My Office," U.S. Defense Secretary's Desire... 90-Year-Old Artifact Globe 'Smashed'

World War II Artifact Used by Eisenhower
A Large Hole Near Antarctica

It has emerged that a historic World War II-era artifact that the U.S. Secretary of Defense wanted to place in his office was damaged by staff members who mishandled it. A large hole was punched in the approximately 90-year-old globe, prompting criticism of the secretary's decision to move the artifact without proper care.

Yonhap News reported on the 23rd, citing The Washington Post (WP) and other outlets, that staff members of U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had caused a controversy by dropping and damaging a large globe used by former U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower while moving it to the secretary's office on February 3.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Reuters-Yonhap

The globe in question is an artifact measuring 30 inches (about 76 cm) in diameter and believed to have been made in the 1930s. It is said to have been used by Eisenhower during his military service, when he served as the Allied Supreme Commander during World War II and led the Normandy landings. Eisenhower was known for using a globe to plan military operations. Two large globes said to have been used by him are preserved at the Pentagon, the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense. Secretary Hegseth reportedly wanted to display one of them in his office and instructed his staff to move it.

However, an unexpected accident occurred during the move. The staff members carrying the globe lost their balance, causing it to fall onto its stand.

The impact punched a large hole, several inches wide, near Antarctica. The globe also became detached from the metal supports that allow its spherical body to rotate. The issue was that the move was carried out without professional staff.

Eisenhower touching a globe during his presidency. Library of Congress.

Historical artifacts inside the Pentagon are normally moved under the supervision of professional preservation staff. However, experts from the U.S. Army Center of Military History were temporarily furloughed at the time of the accident because of a partial shutdown of the federal government. Rather than wait for the experts to return, Secretary Hegseth's staff reportedly tried to move the globe using their own personnel.

As it happened, the partial shutdown ended on the day of the accident. This has led to criticism that the accident might have been avoided if they had waited just a little longer for the professional staff to return. Citing a person familiar with the situation at the time, WP reported that the Hegseth team's hasty decision had led to the accident. The plan to move the globe to the secretary's office was abandoned after the incident. The episode became a subject of gossip and ridicule inside the Pentagon, but remained unknown outside for some time.

A U.S. Army spokesperson acknowledged to WP that the globe had been damaged during the move. A Defense Department official also said, "Accidents can happen," adding, "Fortunately, no one was hurt, and the globe is currently being repaired." However, the official did not disclose the specific repair cost or when the repairs would be completed.

The incident has also renewed attention to Secretary Hegseth's interest in World War II. Under an executive order by President Trump, Secretary Hegseth moved to restore the Defense Department's former public name, the "War Department." That was the name used when the United States fought World War II. He has also drawn controversy by suggesting that the United States has not won major wars since the department was renamed the Department of Defense.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.