Post Reports Three Online-Influencer Retired Colonels Held Pentagon SGE/HQE Roles in Tata's Office; Tata Says They Served on a War-College Task Force, Pay Not Disclosed

The Washington Post (Dan Lamothe, Tara Copp), published Aug. 31, 2026, reported that retired colonels Rob Maness, Kurt Schlichter and Thomas Anderson (“Cynical Publius”), each with a large online following, appeared in Pentagon records with “.civ” email addresses in the office of Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata, “assigned as either ‘special government employees’ or ‘highly qualified experts,’” without disclosing the roles while commenting on Pentagon matters. The Post wrote that “it was not clear what financial agreements were reached”; spokesman Joel Valdez declined to say whether any is drawing a salary.

What the records and the principals’ own accounts show: Tata posted thanks to the three for serving on a Senior Service College Task Force (the review Hegseth announced in March 2026 with a 90-day report deadline) and said the review is complete; the report has not been released. Schlichter wrote that they were temporary SGEs because the status was needed for government systems access, that the work was campus visits and a roughly 17,500-word report, and that the claim they were paid to message publicly is false. Anderson said his SGE service ended July 26, 2026 and denied any government compensation. Maness called the Post’s framing false. Whether Maness or Schlichter were paid is not established in public records. An SGE role is lawful (18 U.S.C. 202(a): not more than 130 days in 365); the open question is disclosure to their audiences, not legality. Anderson’s end date, the unreleased report and the pay of the other two are the checkable follow-ups.