Logan Paul's Pentagon Visit Draws Backlash as Critics Resurface His 2017 Suicide Forest Video

A viral social media post has revived scrutiny of Logan Paul's controversial 2017 'Suicide Forest' video days after the YouTuber visited the Pentagon with his brother Jake.

The post, which quote-tweeted the Department of War's announcement of the brothers' visit, resurfaced footage from the widely condemned video and brought renewed attention to Paul's past amid criticism of the Pentagon appearance.

Official Welcome, Unofficial Questions

The visit took place on 17 September 2026, ahead of National POW/MIA Recognition Day, with footage published three days later on the Department of Defense's official social media channels. Jake and Logan Paul spoke to military and civilian personnel at the Pentagon, with photographs later released by the department.

Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Joel Valdez said in a statement that 'the Department of War was proud to host Jake and Logan Paul at the Pentagon this week', noting that 'they toured the building, paid their respects at our 9/11 memorial, thanked our service members, and briefly met with Secretary Hegseth.'

A Pentagon official confirmed the brothers paid for their own transportation and lodging, though it remained unclear who invited them, why they were selected to address personnel or whether Hegseth personally approved the visit.

During his remarks, Logan Paul told service members, 'I don't think there is any greater commitment to sacrifice than those who are willing to live, die and fight for their country.' Jake Paul, addressing the same gathering, urged troops to take pride in their service.

The 2017 Controversy Resurfaces

The post pairing the Department of War's video with archival 'Suicide Forest' footage was not an isolated jab; it landed inside a wider argument already unfolding over the propriety of the visit.

Adam Kinzinger, a former Republican congressman and Air National Guard veteran, reposted the Pentagon's video with the comment: 'We aren't a serious country at the moment.'

Tom Nichols, a staff writer at The Atlantic, responded with a reference to the ongoing conflict with Iran, while YouTube commentator Philip DeFranco criticised the administration's handling of the visit.

Other social media users drew comparisons to Idiocracy, the 2006 satirical film depicting a dumbed-down future society, while one comment on the Pentagon's Instagram post read: 'Our government is just trolling us at this point.'

The 'Suicide Forest' video remains one of the most notorious episodes of Paul's career.

In late 2017, Paul filmed himself and friends in Japan's Aokigahara forest and included footage of a man who had apparently died by suicide, a decision that triggered international condemnation, his temporary removal from YouTube's Google Preferred advertising tier and a pledge to donate $1 million (£746,000) to suicide-prevention causes.

Paul's manager later told The Mighty that he had donated $318,000 of that commitment at the time, while the remainder was intended to be donated over a longer period.

The fallout also produced litigation, with production company Planeless Pictures suing Paul over allegations that the controversy caused Google to abandon a $3 million licensing deal; the case was settled in 2024, with financial terms not disclosed.

A Broader Influencer Outreach

The Paul brothers' Pentagon visit comes amid a series of high profile interactions between the Trump administration, the Defense Department and celebrities, athletes and influencers, including recruiting hundreds of service members as spectators when the administration held a UFC fight on the White House lawn.

Hegseth has separately cultivated a public relationship with Trump ally Kid Rock, intervening in March after two Army Apache crews were suspended for flying close to the musician's Tennessee home and later taking him on a helicopter flight himself.

The Pentagon stop was one leg of a broader Washington trip; Jake Paul also met Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who posted photographs describing Jake's 'path from content creator to entrepreneur and professional boxer' as a distinctly American story.

Jake Paul had previously appeared alongside President Trump at a March event in Kentucky, where Trump floated the idea of the boxer running for political office.

The visit also coincides with the brothers' expansion into mainstream entertainment, following the announcement of an untitled fight competition series for Disney's Hulu and ESPN, previously known by the working title Fight Island.

For an administration increasingly bringing politics, sport and internet fame into the same public spaces, the Pentagon visit has brought renewed attention to a controversy that has remained closely associated with Paul's career since 2017.