--- title: "Why Gerard Butler gave a Pentagon press briefing" date: "2020-04-29" modified: "2020-10-30" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-movies/gerard-butler-pentagon-brief/" categories: - "Entertainment" - "Movies and TV" --- # Why Gerard Butler gave a Pentagon press briefing ![]() Critics who say the Pentagon doesn't give the press enough briefings had their prayers answered — even if they didn't necessarily get their *questions* answered. On Oct. 15, the Pentagon gave a presser led by actor Gerard Butler. If you know anything about popular culture news, you probably guessed the brief focused on the Navy. --- The actor has been doing a full-court press around the military community in support of his new film, *Hunter Killer*. Butler's October Pentagon press briefing was the first one given by the Defense Department since August of 2018. At the time of the actor's briefing, Defense Secretary James Mattis and Pentagon Spokesperson Dana White were not at the Pentagon. They weren't even in the United States. The two were on their way to Vietnam when Butler took the podium. He came to thank the Department of Defense for their help with his new film, due in theaters October 26th. In the film, Butler plays a U.S. Navy submarine commander with the mission of taking Navy SEALs into Russian waters to rescue a deposed Russian president from a coup plot. "It was one of my childhood dreams to be on a sub," the actor told the gathered press room. "I didn't think it would happen the way it did, taking off from Pearl Harbor and sitting on the conning tower with a submarine commander." Butler spent three days aboard a Navy submarine in preparation for the film. While on the boat, the actor learned about how a submariner's small, metal world works and took part in numerous training drills. He told reporters it was incredible to see how sailors are constantly being tested and must think creatively and intuitively. "What I really took out of it was the brilliance and the humility of the sailors I worked with," he said. This isn't the first time Butler has made visits and appearances in the military community. ![]() Marines demonstrate Marine Corps Martial Arts techniques for actor Gerard Butler at Camp Pendleton during his 2016 visit — though we're sure he already knew this move in particular. (Marine Corps Photo by Pfc. Emmanuel Necoechea) In 2016, the actor also flew with the Thunderbirds, the U.S. Air Force's fighter demonstration squadron, visited Marines at Camp Pendleton, and toured guided missile destroyers at Naval Base San Diego in support of other films. For *Hunter Killer*, he wanted to be sure to show his support to the Navy. "I'd like to thank the Navy for all their help because we couldn't have done it without them – or we could, but it would not have been a good movie," Butler said. ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()