All articles tagged with #pete hegseth
Days before Army chief Gen. Randy George was ousted, Gen. Chris LaNeve allegedly urged stopping the probe into an unauthorized low-altitude helicopter flyover of Kid Rock’s Tennessee estate, a decision some say reflected Hegseth’s broader effort to reshape Army leadership and influenced ongoing questions about LaNeve’s own bid for the top post.
The Pentagon fired Stars and Stripes leadership amid a pressure campaign led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, raising concerns about editorial independence at the military newspaper as publisher Max Lederer, editor Erik Slavin, and reporter Lara Korte were ousted following media scrutiny and internal pushback.
Sources say Pete Hegseth is plotting a future White House bid, with his Iowa trip fueling speculation after he campaigned for GOP candidates in Iowa, South Carolina, and Kentucky. The Defense Secretary’s office says the trip was in a personal capacity, but the idea of a sitting cabinet member pursuing a political campaign is unusual. The story also frames potential tensions with Trump within MAGA politics and notes past controversies surrounding Hegseth as he weighs a possible run.
At an Atlanta rally, Sen. Jon Ossoff accused President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of lying America into the Iran war, citing prior claims that Iran’s nuclear program had been obliterated and that there was no imminent threat. He argued the conflict has dragged on toward its six-month mark with broken promises and eroding public trust, while gas prices have risen (national avg about $4.07/gal; Georgia ~ $3.80), a point he ties to his reelection bid in a tightly contested Senate race.
Bill Maher offered a biting theory about Trump’s reported catering-truck escape from Ankara amid an Iranian missile threat to Air Force One, joking that the president was in with the snacks while Pete Hegseth was in with the complimentary beer and wine, calling him the perfect roommate. The Daily Beast ties the anecdote to broader coverage of Trump using a decoy flight, notes which officials stayed behind, and links the episode to his push to justify a White House ballroom and its underground complex amid security concerns and related legal battles.
Karoline Leavitt’s exit from the Trump White House prompts speculation about who might depart next, with Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, Susie Wiles, Howard Lutnick and James Braid floated as potential successors amid expected administration turnover.
Sen. Thom Tillis criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for excluding Democrats from classified Pentagon briefings, warning that such brevity could backfire if Democratic votes are needed to pass funding; Tillis urged a bipartisan briefing for all 100 senators as Hegseth pushes large defense-budget requests amid Iran-related tensions, while noting Tillis’s own role in a forthcoming memoir critical of Trumpworld. The Pentagon says it works with Congress to fund the armed services and that Hegseth and other senior officials regularly engage with lawmakers, with the department seeking roughly $1.5 trillion from Congress.
Senate Republicans criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for excluding Democrats from recent Pentagon budget briefings, saying bipartisan access is essential to win votes for a $1.5 trillion defense package and to prevent leaks; Hegseth has met with Republicans while Democrats were left out, prompting calls to broaden briefings to both parties even if that means less-controlled discussions, while the Pentagon says it remains committed to bipartisan engagement.
CNN reports that Pete Hegseth urged a massive boost to the Pentagon’s budget—described as a historic $1.5 trillion investment—during the renaming ceremony of Joint Base Charleston to Joint Base Lindsey Graham. The base houses over 90,000 personnel, Graham’s death last month was noted, and Republicans reportedly remained skeptical of the large budget request amid tensions with Iran.
Republican lawmakers remain divided over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s bid for a $1.5 trillion defense budget, with doubts about using reconciliation to bypass Democrats and concerns about political risk ahead of the midterms; despite Trump’s support, there is no clear path forward as lawmakers seek more information and guard against overreach.
Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s security clearance was revoked after accusations he leaked details about the Qatar-donated Air Force One, a move announced as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vows a crackdown on Pentagon leaks. Kendall had publicly discussed the jet’s limitations and risks with The New York Times and now serves as a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, highlighting tensions over national-security disclosures amid US politics.
Trump defended Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth in a Truth Social post after reports that the Pentagon is running low on precision missiles, insisting stockpiles are ample and attacking leakers, while defense officials warn replenishment could take years amid tensions with Iran.
President Trump publicly defended Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and denounced reports of friction as treasonous, while insisting the U.S. has massive munitions stockpiles and is replenishing them, even as Washington Post reporting highlighted potential shortages in the context of Iran operations.
Morning Rundown covers President Trump defending Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth amid leadership concerns, a deadly school shooting at a Bangkok-area school involving a student, Tennessee GOP primary results with Ogles losing and Blackburn winning, and a look at why Americans are spending on small luxuries despite economic uncertainty, plus a preview of upcoming jobs data.
President Donald Trump said in an NBC News interview that he stands by Pete Hegseth as defense secretary, calling him one of his best while brushing off allies’ concerns about his wartime leadership amid the Iran war’s unpopularity.