(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Staff upheaval inside the Pentagon has raised serious concerns among GOP leaders and Trump administration officials about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s ability to manage the Department of Defense and its 3.4 million employees.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Hegseth’s tenure has been marred by high staff turnover and several public missteps, including the notorious “Signalgate” security breach where top administration officials allegedly discussed plans to bomb Yemen in a Signal chat that included a journalist. Critics say these incidents have fueled doubts about the former Fox News host’s “warrior spirit” and management skills.
“If you just look at the broader turnover and the lack of consistency there in terms of executive management, I think it’s a red flag,” said Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina in comments to the Journal.
Tillis, who announced he would not seek re-election after criticizing President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill in June, went further in July, calling Hegseth “out of his depth.” His criticism surprised many, as Tillis cast the decisive 50th vote to confirm Hegseth as defense secretary.
A key point of tension between Hegseth and the White House has been his refusal to remove his acting chief of staff, Ricky Buria. Trump officials reportedly viewed Buria as a liability and tried to force him out, but the effort was ultimately abandoned, The Guardian reported.
Hegseth’s first chief of staff, Joe Kasper, departed amid front-office turmoil and reports that the secretary had ordered polygraph tests for his staff, deepening distrust. His leadership style has also caused operational issues; after abruptly firing several generals, Hegseth has been slow to replace departing personnel, causing communication lapses.
Those gaps had real consequences. According to The Independent, President Trump was left unaware of a temporary pause in weapons deliveries to Ukraine, though he later reversed the hold.
Compounding the controversy, a probe into Signalgate suggested Hegseth’s chats with national security officials may have included classified information, further damaging confidence in his leadership.
Despite the mounting criticism, the White House has stood firmly behind Hegseth.
“President Trump has full confidence in Secretary Hegseth, who is doing an incredible job leading the DOD,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told the Journal.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell echoed that defense, dismissing detractors: “These anonymous sources have no idea what they’re talking about and are just plain wrong.”
If you want, I can also create a sharper, more tabloid-style headline that leans into the Pentagon chaos angle for stronger engagement. Do you want me to do that?
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