The Pentagon is throwing its full support behind a top Trump appointee who is embroiled in a lawsuit with a master astrologist allegedly trying to extort him after their affair.
Amy Tripp, who describes herself as ‘the internet’s most notorious astrologer,’ is the subject of an August 22 lawsuit from a ‘John Doe’ alleging she harassed, bullied and defamed the top Pentagon official after the two split.
Anthony Tata, described as ‘John Doe’ in the Florida‘s Palm Beach County Circuit Court filings, admitted he was linked to Tripp after he got on Bumble in May 2024 to meet astrology enthusiasts for a book he was writing.
The specific descriptions of the official included in the court filings indicated that the individual described must be Tata, who is married, The Cut first reported.
Text messages in the 17-page lawsuit allege that Tripp tried to extort Tata for $25,000 so that she would keep quiet about their affair as the general was up for Senate confirmation.
Tata serves as the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. He was confirmed to the post by the Senate on July 15.
Instead of shying away from the controversy, however, the Pentagon and Hegseth are backing Tata without any reservation.
‘Under Secretary Tata has the complete and total confidence of Secretary Hegseth in his role and will continue to have his support,’ Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told the Daily Mail in a statement.
Anthony Tata, under secretary for personnel and readiness at the Department of Defense nominee for President Donald Trump, reportedly filed a lawsuit against an astrologist he had an affair with
Astrologist Amy Tripp (R) is the subject of a lawsuit filed by Tata alleging harassment, bullying and defamation, according to The Cut. She also gained attention for correctly predicting which date former President Joe Biden would drop out of the 2024 presidential race
‘Mr. Tata has done a fantastic job delivering on the priorities of this Department and this administration,’ the statement continued. ‘We strongly stand by him.’
The retired Army brigadier general and Palm Beach resident is also a novelist, penning over a dozen books.
Neither Tripp nor Tata immediately responded to the Daily Mail’s requests for comment.
‘I have tried to move past this but these lawsuits are not letting it end,’ Tripp’s X account posted on Friday. ‘I know I have to wait until the legal process plays out, and as it does it will be clear I’m innocent of what they are accusing me of.’
The astrologist goes by the moniker ‘Starheal’ online.
‘I’ll be filing a response in court to these false accusations that will make it clear that none of these allegations are true. I should never have gotten into this relationship and I’m sorry I ever met this person. This has caused me immense suffering and continues to hurt me,’ another post from Tripp said.
The pair first began their affair in May 2024 after meeting on the dating app Bumble, it was a time described in the lawsuit when Tata and his wife were ‘struggling in their relationship.’
The filing alleges that Tata invested in an astrology business owned by Tripp.
Tata, nominee to be Defense undersecretary for personnel and readiness, testifies during his confirmation hearing in the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, May 6, 2025
That year, the ‘professional astrologist’ predicted correctly the precise day ex-President Joe Biden would drop out of the presidential contest against Trump.
Tata was nominated to serve in the Pentagon under Trump in February, a role that requires confirmation by the Senate.
Things came to a head this June when Tripp envisioned Tata’s successful Senate confirmation.
According to allegations in the lawsuit, Tripp ‘informed John Doe that the astrological signs told her that [his] confirmation to his position in the Department of Defense was imminent.’
Around that time the military official made up with this wife.
After that the astrologist allegedly began ‘lashing out’ against the Trump appointee and his family.
‘I just told the White House. You want to be next? You have skeletons in your closet,’ a text Tripp sent to Tata’s wife included in the lawsuit said.
The astrologist, sometimes with the help of her parents, threatened Tata and his wife over the course of three months, according to allegations in the lawsuit.
Tata has served for decades in the military before joining as an under secretary
Tata, a retired Army brigadier general and a Trump loyalist, served as the Pentagon’s policy chief, the No. 3 official in charge, in an acting position during the first Trump administration
Tripp allegedly threatened to accuse Tata of rape and his wife of theft from her employer. Court filings show Tata was granted a temporary restraining order against Tripp on August 7.
The lawsuit claims Tripp exposed personal details about Tata and his family online during their dispute. ‘Ms. Tripp and her followers knew John Doe and his wife’s name, their professions, and their images,’ the lawsuit states.
Weeks later, Tripp allegedly demanded $20,000 from Tata, then increased her demand to $25,000 after speaking with her father.
The suit describes Tata as an ‘Afghanistan combat veteran diagnosed with PTSD’ and claims Tripp’s threats caused him severe emotional distress.
Beyond threatening texts and calls, Tripp allegedly made public posts on X revealing personal details about Tata and his wife.
Tata has previously been involved in at least two reported affairs, according to the Raleigh News & Observer.
‘As a retired general, he violated the UCMJ by having an affair with a subordinate while deployed,’ Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., wrote about Tata on X this year. ‘He’s also pushed racist conspiracy theories and made inflammatory, Islamophobic comments.’
