United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is facing increased scrutiny over his leadership of the Pentagon, with some of the criticism coming from within his own party. On Wednesday, Republican Senator Thom Tillis urged President Donald Trump to replace Hegseth, accusing the defence secretary of creating a “leadership void” at the top of the US military. Driscoll’s departure followed a series of firings, forced retirements and blocked promotions among senior military leaders, causing concern about the stability of the Pentagon’s leadership.
Hegseth, a former Fox News host and Army National Guard veteran, was confirmed as defence secretary in January 2025 after a contentious Senate vote. Since taking office, he has pursued an aggressive effort to reshape the military, emphasising lethality and what he calls the “warrior ethos”. But senior officials argue that his approach has produced instability and prioritised cultural battles over military readiness.
His tenure has also been plagued by a series of controversies. Here are some of the notable ones so far: The first major controversy of Hegseth’s tenure came in March 2025, just two months after his appointment. A member of the Trump administration had inadvertently included Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine, in a private chat on the messaging app Signal, where officials were discussing an impending attack on Yemen.
Hegseth featured prominently in the discussion. His messages included details about the timing of aircraft launches and strikes. But Hegseth insisted that no “war plans” had been shared across the platform.
Experts, however, disputed that assertion, noting that details about an upcoming military operation are typically classified. The military prohibits the use of third-party platforms for operational security, and an inspector general’s report later indicated any leak from the Signal chat could have put service members in harm’s way. Media reports also emerged indicating that Hegseth had been involved in a second Signal chat with his wife, brother and personal lawyer that also included sensitive military information.
Hegseth faced no formal punishment for the incidents. Hegseth’s Pentagon has undergone a sweeping turnover of senior military and civilian officials. Shortly after Hegseth assumed his role, several top military leaders were fired, including Navy Admiral Lisa Franchetti, Coastguard Commandant Linda Fagan and Charles Q Brown, the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
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