Pentagon leadership vacuum overwhelms Hegseth’s office: ‘It’s a free-for-all’

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The circle of top advisers in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s orbit has shrunk in recent days to little more than his wife, lawyer, and two lower-level officials — leaving the Pentagon’s lead office without longtime expertise or clear direction.

Hegseth’s decision to fire three senior aides last week and reassign his chief of staff has blown a hole in his leadership team, severing essential lines of communication across the department and leading to fears about dangerous slip-ups such as weapons program delays.

The wholesale turnover just 100 days into Hegseth’s tenure has been remarkable for its speed. And it has left the first-time government official without trusted staff who understand Washington — just as he faces fallout from a series of scandals that have led to rampant speculation inside the building about how long he’ll keep his job.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/24/hegseth-pentagon-leadership-vacuum-00308620

https://archive.ph/mEJye

 

I don't understand how this went wrong. What is the problem with hiring someone who has no experience of managing a large institution but is telegenic  and works out a lot? If there were a movie that needed to cast someone to play Defense Chief, he'd by my choice.  Not only that, but as one Trumpist pointed out elsewhere, he has a lovely wife and children. Strange. And sad.

 

[jerrymahoney]

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt (22 APR) said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is doing “a tremendous job” and “is bringing a monumental change to the Pentagon,” which she said had prompted a “smear campaign” against him.

[SunnyinBangrak]

What happens the 57 thousandth time the naughty child yells Wolf!! Wolf!! ?? That's right. They get ignored, and rightly so.

 

I have total confidence in Hegseth and zero in smear campaigning msm consumers bonkers claims.

 

[jerrymahoney]

As Ms. Leavitt said earlier this month during a tariff dustup:

"Boys will be boys, and we will let their public sparring continue ..."

Such things happen now amongst a group of warriors in a warrior culture.