President Donald Trump’s Department of Defense is in social media’s crosshairs for hosting controversial celebrities Logan Paul and Jake Paul.

The Republican standard-bearer’s hand-picked Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth made a public relations move that did not go over well with critics.

Hegseth, 46, invited the Paul brothers visit the Department of War.

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (R) and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjirō Koizumi talk between sets during their workout on January 15, 2026 in Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia. The two leaders spent their morning working out with members of the U.S. Army in a friendly competition. (Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images)

Logan, 31, and Jake, 29, supported Trump, 80, during the 2024 presidential election. Some political analysts widely credit the brothers and fellow creators across the “manosphere” with mobilizing young male voters to secure the Republican victory.

It appears the Paul brothers remain advocates for the president’s agenda. As America remains in a months-long war with Iran, the two influencers took on the role of motivational speakers for the troops.

The Paul brothers visited the Pentagon on Thursday, Sept. 17. The unofficially rebranded “Department of War” account on X shared a video featuring the Ohio natives at the DOD headquarters.

“I don’t think there’s any greater commitment to sacrifice than those who are willing to live, die, and fight for their country,” Logan said. 

His younger sibling said, “Each one of you matters. Take this moment and be proud of yourselves for what you do.”

Jake also added, “This is the greatest country in the world, truly. We are blessed to be born here, come here, and we should never take that for granted.” 

The Paul brothers rose to fame in the 2010s as YouTubers whose antics crossed boundaries and generated outrage. Both entertainers have been accused of promoting delinquent behavior.

Branching out into distinct sports entertainment arenas, the brothers built separate multi-million-dollar enterprises. Jake established himself as a combat sports power player by founding Most Valuable Promotions to stage marquee boxing events. Meanwhile, Logan pivoted to professional wrestling, signing a long-term contract with WWE.

Negative headlines are less frequent for the Paul brothers now. But a decade of controversies involving Jake and Logan has made them extremely polarizing figures.

Seeing the two content creators interacting with the American military ignited more heat directed at them. The Defense Department faced negative fallout as well.

“This looks like an SNL skit,” one person on X wrote in reaction to photos of the “Paul American” reality show stars standing at the Pentagon podium.

A second person wondered, “What kind of value do they add talking at the Pentagon? Idiocracy is becoming more and more of a reality.”

“Imagine joining the military to fight and, if necessary, die for your country, and having to listen to these two. Boy, do we have priorities f***ed up in the U.S.,” stated a poster.

Over on Threads, another tongue-in-cheek response, “This is so f***ing embarrassing. Losers,” professed a commenter. 

Likewise, somebody posted, “Two clowns that have no purpose of being in front of our troops [in] any official capacity whatsoever. Full stop. Ridiculous. Who’s next? Kid Rock?” 

Like the Pauls, recording artist Kid Rock is a longtime Trump supporter. Numerous celebs have aligned with the right-wing MAGA movement as well.

On the same day as the Pauls’ Pentagon visit, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal received backlash for being recognized as an honorary FBI special agent by Trump’s FBI Director Kash Patel. 

Jake’s 2024 boxing opponent, history-making prizefighter Mike Tyson, showed up at the White House in January for a special screening of the Brett Ratner-directed “Melania” documentary.

“Rocky” boxing movie icon Sylvester Stallone overly praising Trump as an “extraordinary human being” sent many of the Hollywood veteran’s fans into a frenzy.

Plus, rappers Nicki Minaj and Snoop Dogg have actively participated in events connected to the current administration, fueling anger from portions of the hip-hop community.

While Jake and Logan Paul continue to forcefully back the Trump administration, prominent “bro-cast” hosts including Joe Rogan, Tim Dillon, Theo Von, and Andrew Schulz have visibly cooled their political support.

‘Ridiculous’: Pete Hegseth Faces Brutal Backlash After Jake and Logan Paul Show Up at the Pentagon — Then Cameras Reveal Why They Were There