Pete Hegseth Maintains Trump's Support Despite Controversies as Defense Secretary

Hegseth secured his confirmation by a single tie-breaking vote delivered by Vice President JD Vance.

During President Donald Trump's first administration, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's recurring missteps would likely have triggered speculation about his imminent dismissal. However, in Trump's second term, Hegseth continues to maintain White House backing, at least for the present.

On Thursday, a Pentagon inspector general report revealed that Hegseth potentially endangered US pilots, military personnel, and attack strategies by transmitting sensitive information via Signal texts. This followed recent criticism over his handling of an attack on an alleged drug vessel in the Caribbean Sea, which prompted accusations of war crimes.

These incidents represent the latest in a series of controversies that have thrust Hegseth into the spotlight, beginning well before his confirmation as Department of Defence leader.

Nevertheless, Trump has continued to support the 45-year-old former infantry officer and Fox News host, publicly expressing his confidence.

At Wednesday's Cabinet meeting, Hegseth was positioned directly beside Trump, a clear indication of support even before the president declared, "Pete's doing a great job." Previously in April, following initial reports about the Signal communications, Trump stated: "Everybody is happy with him."

Last year, when Hegseth's nomination appeared threatened by allegations of alcohol abuse and sexual assault, Trump wrote that "Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that." Hegseth denied these allegations, characterizing them as part of a smear campaign, while acknowledging, "I'm not a perfect person."

Hegseth's resilience contrasts with Trump's first term pattern, which saw two confirmed defense secretaries, two acting ones, four national security advisers, and four chiefs of staff.

However, this aligns with Trump's second-term approach, where he has largely avoided staff terminations—with "Signalgate" merely resulting in national security advisor Mike Waltz's reassignment to a United Nations role.

Rather than surrounding himself with highly experienced executives and former officers, Trump's current emphasis appears to be on loyalty and staff who, as his son Donald Trump Jr. described, "don't think they know better."

Regarding Hegseth, former Representative Barbara Comstock, a Virginia Republican, observed in an interview, "there are White House people who don't like him but it's really Trump himself who likes his attitude. The more obnoxious he is, the more Trump-like he is - that's what Trump likes."

This situation mirrors Trump's approach almost exactly a year ago, before his inauguration, when the administration supported Hegseth and advanced his nomination through Congress despite assault and alcohol abuse allegations.

At that time, Republicans close to Trump suggested a strategic purpose behind the decision. They portrayed Hegseth's nomination as a test case to determine how effectively Trump could influence Congressional Republicans. Despite few obvious qualifications and significant Republican skepticism in Congress, Hegseth prevailed.

Ultimately, Hegseth secured confirmation by a single tie-breaking vote from Vice President JD Vance. This served as a precursor to Trump's expansion of executive branch authority with minimal GOP resistance. Meanwhile, Hegseth established himself as one of Trump's most vocal and aggressive supporters, embracing the MAGA tendency for online mockery rather than retreating.

He intensified the Caribbean Sea military campaign, posting an image depicting the children's book character Franklin the turtle attacking a boat with a rocket-propelled grenade, captioned "For your Christmas wish list." Hegseth denied any Pentagon wrongdoing regarding the boat strikes.

"As I've said, and I'll say it again, we've only just begun striking narco-boats and putting narco-terrorists at the bottom of the ocean because they've been poisoning the American people," Hegseth declared at Trump's most recent Cabinet meeting.

Hegseth has directed Pentagon resources toward Trump's anti-immigration agenda, worked to eliminate DEI and other "woke" initiatives, and embraced Elon Musk's DOGE initiative early in the administration. He removed reporters from their Pentagon offices and recently presided over a Christmas-tree lighting ceremony that included a tribute to Trump.

"A couple of months ago, my wife said, 'Babe, President Trump brought Merry Christmas back, we're going to bring Christmas back to the Pentagon,'" he stated in a social media video about the event.

Hegseth maintains substantial support among Trump's allies. Senator Eric Schmitt, Republican from Missouri, dismissed the Pentagon inspector general's report about Hegseth's Signal use as a "nothing burger" and part of a "neverending stream of efforts to undermine Pete Hegseth," according to the Wall Street Journal. "I think he's doing a great job, and it is what it is," Schmitt remarked.

The key question now is how long this support will endure. A recent Fox News poll placed Trump's approval rating at 41 percent, a significant decline from two months prior and approaching his first-term low of 38 percent. Some former Hegseth supporters, such as Senator Thom Tillis, have now expressed reservations.

"I'm sure the Democrats are fine letting Hegseth twist in the wind, and every day you drag him up there, every problem he has only exacerbates all the other problems," Comstock commented. "That's a lot of capital you're expending in an area you're already underwater."