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

Dec 05, 2025 02:06 pm CST

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth continues to enjoy President Trump's backing despite a series of controversies, including mishandling sensitive information via Signal texts and questionable military operations in the Caribbean Sea. Unlike Trump's first term marked by frequent staff turnover, Hegseth's resilience reflects the administration's current emphasis on loyalty over experience. Despite criticism and low approval ratings, Trump continues to publicly praise Hegseth's performance while the Defense Secretary aggressively advances the president's agenda.