Criticism Mounts Against Hegseth: “He Lacked the Experience from the Start”

Just minutes before U.S. fighter jets took off for strikes in Yemen, General Michael Erik Kurilla sent details of the operation to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth via a secure communications system. Shortly after, parts of that same information ended up in two private group chats – through the Signal messaging app.

According to officials familiar with the matter, Hegseth shared the information from his personal phone, despite being warned days earlier by an aide not to use unsecured communication channels. One chat included his wife, brother, and advisers. The other included senior government officials – and mistakenly, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic.

The Pentagon denies that classified material was leaked. Spokesman Sean Parnell called the reports “an attempt to sabotage President Trump and Secretary Hegseth.” But the criticism hasn’t died down.

First Republican Calls for Resignation

Republican Representative Don Bacon, a former Air Force general, became the first member of Congress on Monday to call for Hegseth to step down.

“I had concerns from the start because Pete Hegseth didn’t have much experience,” Bacon said. “I like him on Fox, but does he have the qualifications to lead an organization of that size?”

Trump Defends – But the Issue Lingers

President Trump dismissed the backlash, praising Hegseth’s work and denying any internal dysfunction at the Pentagon. Hegseth himself called the reports “media spin,” claiming he’s focused on “putting the Pentagon back in the hands of warfighters.”

Still, national security insiders are raising serious questions about how details of a sensitive mission ended up with people lacking security clearance.

“Sharing sensitive information with family over an unclassified app is deeply troubling,” said a former senior official.

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