Chaos in Trump's Defense Department – ​​"Complete Meltdown" in the Pentagon

Frankfurter Rundschau Chaos in Trump's Defense Department – ​​"Complete Meltdown" in the Pentagon Laura May • 6 hours • 2 minutes read Hectic Around Hegseth Pete Hegseth's position as US Secretary of Defense is being questioned. After a scandal, he loses key staff. Unrest in the Pentagon is growing. Washington – From the beginning, Pete Hegseth has been a controversial figure. The Senate only confirmed him as Secretary of Defense in Donald Trump's cabinet by a narrow majority of 50 to 51. His inauguration was overshadowed by allegations of alcohol abuse and rape. Democrats repeatedly emphasized Hegseth's inability to lead the Pentagon – their fears now appear to be coming true. Following the signals scandal and Elon Musk's controversial visit to the Defense Department, Hegseth is now losing four of his key staff members. Reports of fear and chaos in the Pentagon are increasing. Trump's Defense Secretary Loses Four Pentagon Staffers in One Week Joe Kasper, the former chief of staff to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, will leave his post in the coming days and assume a new role at the agency, a senior administration official told Politico amid a turbulent week at the Pentagon. Senior Advisor Dan Caldwell, Deputy Chief of Staff Darin Selnick, and Colin Carroll, the chief of staff to Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg, have been placed on administrative leave pending an ongoing investigation. All three were terminated on Friday, three people familiar with the matter also told Politico. They were granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive topic. Criticism of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Grows These changes leave Hegseth without a chief of staff, a deputy chief of staff, and a senior adviser in his office. "There's a complete meltdown in the building, and it reflects poorly on the Secretary's leadership," said a senior defense official. Hegseth has surrounded himself with people who don't support his interests. For Democrats, the current events are further proof of Hegseth's incompetence. "Everyone knew Pete Hegseth had neither the leadership skills nor the background or experience to be Secretary of Defense," said Chris Meagher, who served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs during the Biden administration. "There's likely to be more chaos" - Pete Hegseth faces challenges at the Pentagon This week's firings follow a purge of senior military officers in February, which included former Chief of Staff of the United States Armed Forces, General CQ Brown, and Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Lisa Franchetti. A climate of fear of Elon Musk's government efficiency tool, DOGE, prevails in the Pentagon and other agencies. According to ZON, a senior Defense Department official told reporters that approximately 50,000 to 60,000 jobs would be cut. "There will likely be more chaos," another defense official told Politico. "This certainly increases the fear factor and the awareness that no one's job is safe."