Senior Pentagon bureaucrat: “The way I look at it is… when the election changes… I want to stay and stick it out so that when the time comes, I can undo whatever’s been done.” The Executive Orders need to be codified into law so we don’t return back to the nightmare.

Acting SecNavy Hung Cao made short order of this Navy bureaucrat.

By James O’Keefe on X

Meet Brandon Newsom, a senior official in the Office of the Secretary of the Navy for 16 years. He oversees corporate operations supporting Secretary Hegseth, including HR, IT, security, facilities, records management, and implementation of executive orders.

This is our latest installment of exposing dissent within the deep state. Our hidden-camera investigations pull back the curtain on how the government operates behind closed doors.

In this undercover investigation Brandon discusses exact policies he would like to see changed under a future administration, including the federal government’s faith service program and schedule policy/career workforce reforms.

The first program policies he would seek to reverse is the Pentagon’s monthly voluntary faith service policy. This is a Christian monthly prayer worship service, readings from the Bible, and sermons from pastors. Brandon would like to provide a prayer service for all religions instead of just Christian faith services.

The second policy Brandon says he would seek to reverse is the schedule policy/career reform, a federal workforce change that moves certain senior career employees in policy-related roles into a new personnel category. Supporters argue it gives elected leaders more accountability over officials who help shape policy, while critics argue it could weaken protections traditionally afforded to career civil servants.

When I ask whether he has the authority to reverse said policies, the official responds: “I don’t have the authority to do that, but I have the influence.”

He argues that the real power of long-serving career bureaucrats lies in the positions they hold, saying, “It’s not about me, it’s about the position.”

Explaining why he has remained in government for 16 years despite disagreeing with the administration’s direction, Brandon says, “The way I look at it is… when the election changes… I want to stay and stick it out so that when the time comes, I can undo whatever’s been done.”

Brandon also shares his personal views on President Trump, telling me, “I think Trump is a narcissist.” He further criticizes the administration’s decision-making on Iran, stating, “Yeah. I think it’s [War in Iran] completely stupid, but it’s driven on one man’s ego to me in my own personal opinion.”

Brandon hints that he knows more about what goes on behind the scenes in Washington, telling me, “I’ve seen some things. In true D.C. nature, you don’t always reveal everything in D.C.”

Brandon also claims many of the Pentagon contracts cut under DOGE were data-related before major data contracts were later awarded to Palantir. When asked why, he suggests the company’s relationships with senior Pentagon officials may have played a role, stating, “That’s what it appears.” Palantir was later awarded up to $10 billion in U.S. Army data contracts.

Ironically, Brandon even acknowledges that I could be a reporter. “I mean, you could be a news reporter,” he says before continuing the conversation.

This begs the question: If a government director says he can slow or reverse a sitting President’s agenda, who really governs the country? Is it the individual Americans elect or the career officials who outlast every administration?

And maybe the biggest mystery of all: Why do government officials in D.C. keep spilling secrets to me when I’m just wearing a mustache.

For the record, Brandon Newsom is not related to California Governor Gavin Newsom.

UPDATE: Navy Secretary Hung Cao responded,

“The Department of the Navy takes the conduct shown in this video extremely seriously. Such statements and apparent intent to leverage a position to undermine the policies and direction set by our elected leaders are inappropriate and incompatible with the standards expected of Department personnel. Effective immediately, this individual has been placed on administrative leave while we determine next steps to ensure accountability and protect the integrity of our mission.”

Meet Brandon Newsom, a senior official in the Office of the Secretary of the Navy for 16 years. He oversees corporate operations supporting Secretary Hegseth, including HR, IT, security, facilities, records management, and implementation of executive orders.

This is our latest…

— James O’Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) July 22, 2026

Several months back when DEI was declared dead, many of us disagreed— it’s just resting. This is a case in point.

— Ted Croy (@twcroy3) July 23, 2026

My recent War College experiences and interactions mirror this clowns sentiments. The beltway “learned” folks are absolutely the worst.

— Thomas Pain (@TomasPain5) July 23, 2026

It’s also a good reminder that these people are still largely there, just waiting for their chance to pick up where the previous admin left off.

Vote like your life depends upon it, because it does.

— Festivus96 (@Festivus96) July 22, 2026

He is… pic.twitter.com/gCKtLFXh3Y

— ViperPilot 🇺🇲 ✝️ (@PeruvianBetty) July 22, 2026

Yes:

Ret USAF Colonel, combat fighter pilot:

It took me close to 2 years to fire a GS-12 who didn’t show up to work for those 2 years while still getting paid. At every step, my character, my command, my ethics were doubted but never the GS-12.

— Pilot Patriot (@AFPatriot2) July 23, 2026

This town is overrun with deep state actors who think they are above the law and are not accountable to the American people.

— Atlas Is Shrugging (@CliffBrazell) July 23, 2026

James O’Keefe undercover with Deep State Operative: “I can undo whatever’s been done by the Trump Administration”

Communist Survivor, Acting Secretary of the Navy, Hung Cao, “Effective immediately, this individual has been placed on administrative leave” pic.twitter.com/rgbmWjUgGe

— Liz Churchill (@liz_churchill10) July 23, 2026

Warning from @cdrsalamander. Need to codify Executive Orders into law to stop the disastrous woke ideology/agenda from coming back into the military by these miserable burrowing bureaucrats. pic.twitter.com/JiZqDecVCV

— STARRS (@STARRSmission) July 23, 2026

Why do the gays in DC spill all the beans to me each and every single time? https://t.co/UnjbkAQoig

— James O’Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) July 23, 2026