Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth continued to be the focal point of what appears to be a coordinated campaign from inside the Pentagon and the Defense establishment to push him from office. Over the last week, two lines of attack have become apparent. In one, Hegseth is an incompetent manager who has created chaos in an office that requires order and discipline to function. The second line of attack builds on an earlier incident in which Hegseth discussed an imminent airstrike against the Houthis via the Signal app, and Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic was included in the conversation; see BREAKING: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Addresses Atlantic Story – RedState.
In a Politico (naturally) op-ed, former acting Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot tees up the Pentagon-in-a-meltdown story. To make his case, Ullyot points to:
- "Signalgate," which is now the subject of a Pentagon Inspector General investigation:
- Allegations, now debunked, that Hegseth brought his wife into classified briefings;
- Allegations, now debunked, that Hegseth set up a briefing on our contingency plans for a conflict with China for Elon Musk (see 'Journalists' Run With a Ridiculous New Pete Hegseth Hoax, Get Immediately Dunked On – RedState and White House Pushback on a Fake News Story About Musk Results in a Deluge of Stealth Edited Headlines – RedState);
- A claim that Hegseth fired three loyal staffers for "leaking" about Signalgate and other things without cause and to divert attention from himself; see Hegseth Advisor Who Was Included in Leaked Signal Text Chain Escorted From Pentagon, Placed on Leave – RedState, Second Hegseth Aide Escorted From the Pentagon As Leak Probe Widens – RedState, and A Third Senior Pentagon Official Has Now Been Placed on Leave As Investigation Into Leaks Widens – RedState, and
- Hegseth's chief of staff was removed for unspecified reasons and repurposed as a "special projects" officer; see Hegseth's Chief of Staff Is Leaving After Three Subordinates Are Suspended on Suspicion of Media Leaks—RedState.
Ullyot was a senior Department of Veterans Affairs official and National Security Council communications director in Trump 1.0. He resigned from the Pentagon when Sean Parnell was selected as Pentagon spokesman, and Ullyot refused to stay on as deputy. The administration is saying that he was not a hot commodity.
Ullyot is universally regarded in Trumpworld as an incompetent buffoon who sucks at his job. I told Pete to fire him as soon as I heard that he got a job at the Pentagon. And he’s lying — he didn’t resign, he was pushed out; something that should have happened months ago. https://t.co/hG6deKdNw8
— Arthur Schwartz (@ArthurSchwartz) April 21, 2025
On Sunday, the New York Times reported Hegseth had been involved in a second Signal chat in which he discussed future airstrikes in Yemen, which included his wife, brother, and personal lawyer; see Hegseth Smacks Down NY Times for 'Signal Chat' Story, 'Same Media That Peddled the Russia Hoax' – RedState.
🚨 BREAKING... ALL-OUT COORDINATED ASSAULT ON SECDEF PETE HEGSETH...
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) April 20, 2025
5PM, NYT: "Hegseth Said to Have Shared Attack Details in Second Signal Chat"
*2 HOURS LATER,* POLITICO: "Pete Hegseth is unlikely to remain in his role, according to its former top spokesperson"
Interesting… pic.twitter.com/xLumu6k9Po
Hegseth has reacted to the story by accusing "disgruntled former employees" who are "trying to save their a--" by peddling stories of creating a non-story.
. @SecDef "Once a Leaker. Always a Leaker. Often a Leaker" pic.twitter.com/qbSzdCOunm
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) April 22, 2025
Hegseth hit back at the reporting particularly hard on Monday.
US Secretary of Defense Hegseth on Signal chat leaks:
— Clash Report (@clashreport) April 21, 2025
"What a big surprise that a few leakers get fired and suddenly a bunch of hit pieces come out from the same media that peddled the Russia hoax.
This is what the media does. They take anonymous sources from disgruntled former… pic.twitter.com/J1CaqrziGp
What a big surprise that a few leakers get fired, and suddenly a bunch of hit pieces come out from the same media that peddled the Russia hoax. They won't give back their Pulitzers; they got Pulitzers for a bunch of lies. Pulitzers for a bunch of lies. On hoaxes, time and time and time again. And they peddle those lies, and no one ever calls them on it. This is what the media does. They take anonymous sources from disgruntled former employees, and then they try to slash-and-burn people and ruin their reputations. It's not going to work with me. Because we're changing the Defense Department, putting the Pentagon back in the hands of warfighters, and anonymous smears from disgruntled former employees on old news doesn't matter. So I'm happy to be here at the Easter Egg Roll with my Dad and my kids. Because this is what we're doing it for. These kids right here. This is why we're fighting the fake news media. This is why we're fighting slash-and-burn Democrats. This is why we're fighting hoaxsters, hoaxsters. No, no, this group right here. Full of hoaxsters that peddle anonymous sources from leakers with axes to grind. And then you put it all together as if it's some "news story." You know exactly what it is. I'm really proud of what we're doing for the president, fighting hard across the board, and I'm going to roll some Easter Eggs with my kids. Thank you very much.
That line was echoed by Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell.
All of that is basically public record.
— AG (@AGHamilton29) April 21, 2025
I should also mention that the DoD statement blames the latest leak on “grievances of disgruntled former employees” pic.twitter.com/itv7U1LcCT
Unlike so many times in the past when cabinet secretaries were under attack and left out to dry by the president, President Trump is hanging tough; see Trump Support of Hegseth Shows the Right Has Changed – RedState and New: Trump Shoots Down Questions About Hegseth With Perfect Response – RedState.
. @POTUS "Are you bringing up Signal again? I thought they gave that up two weeks ago … It's all just the same old stuff from the media."
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) April 21, 2025
The attacks failed. We will not be deterred. pic.twitter.com/EvzRGImgpl
"Are you bringing up Signal again? I thought they gave that up two weeks ago," said Trump when asked during the White House Easter Egg Roll, "It's all just the same old stuff from the media. That's an old one, try finding something new."
The Senate GOP caucus is also supporting Hegseth.
These nameless leakers from the Pentagon want a military that’s woke, not lethal.
— Senate Republicans (@SenateGOP) April 21, 2025
That’s why they’re trying to smear Pete Hegseth.
Senate Republicans stand behind @POTUS and Secretary Hegseth.
In typical Washington fashion, anonymous sources claim that the White House is auditioning replacements, but most outlets agree that Trump has pledged Hegseth his support.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made it very clear that Pete Hegseth enjoys President Trump's confidence and support.
.@PressSec: "They were Pentagon employees who leaked against their boss to news agencies in this room, and it's been clear since Day One from this administration that we are not going to tolerate individuals who leak to the mainstream media... @SecDef is doing a tremendous job." pic.twitter.com/beV7kp0dwJ
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 22, 2025
There are a few data points to take away from all of this. First, the use of Signal to discuss classified information is a bad habit to get into. In both cases, Hegseth discussed strikes on Yemen that were either minutes away from happening or in the process of happening. There was no danger to US forces because even if the Houthis had been listening in, they a) wouldn't have had information on which targets to defend and b) couldn't counter the attacks even if they were forewarned. The issue is using a smartphone with a commercial encryption app for classified communications. The bottom line here is that this was a foot-shot that didn't need to happen.
The second data point is that some members of Hegseth's inner circle may be pursuing a personal agenda that is not in sync with Trump or Hegseth. I'd just point out that the source of the second Signal leak was not a reporter from The Atlantic who accidentally (or not) ended up on the call. The leaker is someone who was invited in, and Hegseth is making it very clear that the guilty party is one of the guys fired for leaking. This means that even though the Democrats are out to destroy Hegseth, they have allies inside Hegseth's inner circle who also see him as a threat.
This is all just a warm-up compared to what is to come when Hegseth and DOGE go after the fraud, waste, and abuse in Defense procurement.
As I've posted before (see Why Has the Left Targeted Pete Hegseth for Destruction Over the 'Signal' Kerfuffle? – RedState and More Laughable Attacks on Pete Hegseth Show Just How Dangerous He Is to the Left's Agenda – RedState), Hegseth is potentially a transformational SecDef. Recruiting is on the upswing because the nation can sense the change of purpose in DOD. Pride of the military, not the gay variety, is returning to the Armed Forces. Hegseth is not beholden to any corporate interest and is making changes for the benefit of the nation. That makes him a very dangerous man to the failing status quo.
Few things are harder than turning around a failing, but complacent and self-satisfied organization. That is the challenge facing Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The military services have been hollowed out through DEI and dysfunctional leadership. The industrial base is dead in the water. Follow RedState for some of the most informed coverage on his efforts to recreate a force in crisis. Join RedState VIP and help continue that coverage. Use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.
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