White House Denies Report That Trump Is Considering Replacing Pete Hegseth

[Lauren Keenan]

THE WHITE HOUSE IS LOOKING TO REPLACE DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH, ACCORDING TO ONE U.S. OFFICIAL WHO SPOKE ANONYMOUSLY WITH NPR.

HEGSETH IS UNDER FIRE FOR ALLEGEDLY CREATING A SIGNAL GROUP CHAT WITH FAMILY MEMBERS INCLUDING HIS WIFE, BROTHER  AND PERSONAL LAWYER DETAILING STRIKES ON HOUTHIS REBELS IN YEMEN IN MARCH.

IT ALSO CAME TO LIGHT LAST MONTH THAT IN ANOTHER SIGNAL CHAT, HEGSETH SHARED U.S. MILITARY OPERATIONS WITH A GROUP OF SENIOR U.S. OFFICIALS WHICH ALSO INCLUDED A JOURNALIST WITH THE ATLANTIC.

SIGNAL IS A FREE, OPEN-SOURCE MESSAGING APP THAT OFFERS END-TO-END ENCRYPTED TEXTS, CALLS, VIDEO CHATS, AND GROUP MESSAGES.

CRITICS, INCLUDING DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS, ARE CALLING FOR HEGSETH’S RESIGNATION, CITING CONCERNS OVER NATIONAL SECURITY AND THE MISHANDLING OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION.

HEGSETH RESPONDED TO THE MEDIA REPORTS WHEN TAKING PART IN THE EASTER ACTIVITIES AT THE WHITE HOUSE SUNDAY.

“YOU KNOW, WHAT A BIG SURPRISE THAT A BUNCH OF LEAKERS GET FIRED AND SUDDENLY A BUNCH OF HIT PIECES COME OUT FROM THE SAME MEDIA THAT PEDDLED THE RUSSIA HOAX,” HEGSETH SAID.

THE PENTAGON HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING INTERNAL LEAKS WHICH HAS LED TO THE DISMISSAL OF SENIOR OFFICIALS DAN CALDWELL AND DARIN SELNICK, AND THE RESIGNATIONS OF TOP PENTAGON SPOKESPERSON JOHN ULLYOT AS WELL AS HEGSETH’S CHIEF OF STAFF, JOE KASPER.

IN RESPONSE TO THE NPR ARTICLE, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETRY KAROLINE LEAVITT POSTED TO X SAYING:

“THIS NPR STORY IS TOTAL FAKE NEWS BASED ON ONE ANONYMOUS SOURCE WHO CLEARLY HAS NO IDEA WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT.”

AS THE PRESIDENT SAID THIS MORNING, HE STANDS STRONGLY BEHIND THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.”

ON MONDAY, PRESIDENT TRUMP TOLD REPORTERS: “PETE’S DOING A GREAT JOB. EVERYBODY’S HAPPY WITH HIM.”