If the Coen Brothers ever need inspiration for a Burn After Reading sequel, we’ve more than got them covered.
In a truly extraordinary and bizarre story, a new lawsuit has revealed that senior Pentagon official Anthony Tata, who became America’s undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness in July, has been involved in a dramatic love affair with an “astrologer influencer” named Starheal.
Tata is also a former Fox News contributor and is known for his maniacal MAGA comments, calling Barack Obama a “terrorist leader”, describing him as a Muslim anti-semite, and (of course) being a passionate supporter of everything Israel does.
Starheal (real name Amy Tripp) describes herself as “the internet’s most notorious astrologer” and runs an impressively bonkers and largely impenetrable TikTok channel that combines conspiracy theories and astrology. Perhaps the funniest thing is that she actually has a pretty good track record with political predictions!
Now, I hope you’re sitting down for this next bit of news, but a 65-year-old military official having an affair with an astrologer named Starheal ended in… *drum roll* epically messy drama (and really, an astrologer should have seen that coming).
The lawsuit details that the unlikely pair met on Bumble in 2024, with Tata seeking advice from Starheal on astrology for a novel he was writing. Starheal and Tata soon hit off and ended up in bed together, shortly followed by Tata investing in her business and believing, “according to Grok and ChatGPT” that it could be worth up to $10 billion. Right.
But when Tata tried to end the affair, Starheal didn’t take it well. As per the filed documents, Starheal threatened to “beat the s**t” out of Tata’s wife, vowed that she’d ruin their lives, and ominously told the couple to “watch our backs.”
After Tata’s wife begged Starheal to leave them alone, Tata apparently received the message: “If your wife texts me again she’s going to be picking her teeth up. Pass it on.” Starheal went on to demand $25k to stay quiet, as well as threatening to expose some unspecified crime he’d confessed to.
Am kind of Team Starheal right now tbh
Now, Tata is trying to stop Starheal in her tracks, with the suit alleging that:
“She threatened his marriage, threatened to and did publicly defame him to his new employer and high-ranking Senate officials, and intentionally caused him emotional distress by putting him in the Hobson’s choice between his reputation or career and his marriage.”
As for Starheal? Her representative says she “strenuously denies the allegations in the complaint and trusts that the process will fully vindicate her.” Starheal herself took to X to underline her innocence:
I have tried to move past this but these lawsuits are not letting it end. 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.
— starheal (@starheal) August 29, 2025
At this point, you might be wondering if Tata is really the kind of guy you want to trust with the nation’s security and military readiness. I mean, did you seriously think starting an affair with an astrologer named Starheal was going to do anything other than drop a drama atomic bomb into your life?
But, as per The Daily Mail, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is certain that Tata is still the man for the job: “Under Secretary Tata has the complete and total confidence of Secretary Hegseth in his role and will continue to have his support. Mr. Tata has done a fantastic job delivering on the priorities of this Department and this administration.”
Oh. Okay. Well, that’s alright then! I mean, this guy sure doesn’t sound like a walking blackmail opportunity for enemy states to gobble up!
