Hegseth Aides Dropped Eisenhower's WWII Globe While Moving It to His Office
Staff for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dropped a historic World War II globe while trying to carry it into his office, leaving a gash several inches wide in its surface.
The object is a 30-inch floor globe, the kind that stands on its own base, and it dates back to the 1930s. General Dwight D. Eisenhower used it during the war. Eisenhower later served as president of the United States. Forbes reported that it is one of three World War II-era globes Eisenhower used, known as "Eisenhower globes."
The Washington Post reported that Hegseth wanted the globe moved into his office. Instead of the trained curators who normally handle historic items, Hegseth's own staff moved it. Army officials said that his aides tried to move it themselves and dropped it during the job.
Pentagon spokesman Christopher Surridge said the round part of the globe came loose from the metal mounting that lets it turn. The staff lost control of it, and it crashed onto its base. The shell was punctured near Antarctica.
Photos obtained by The Washington Post show the resulting gash, which is several inches wide. No further detail on the globe's condition has been released.
The Defense Department said accidents happen, that no one was hurt, and that the globe is being repaired. The department did not say how long the repair will take.
Museum and government collections usually bring in specialists for moves like this. Curators are trained to lift, crate and carry historic objects without damaging them, which is why such work typically stays in their hands. In this case, the globe went to a team that was not trained to handle it.
ARTnews, which first reported the damage, ran a story headlined "Globe Used by Dwight D. Eisenhower Broken by Pete Hegseth's Staff." The Times described the globe as priceless and said it was believed to have been used by Eisenhower during the Second World War.
