Three former senior advisers to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have publicly condemned what they describe as "baseless attacks" following their recent ousting from the Pentagon amid an investigation into information leaks. The aides—Dan Caldwell, Colin Carroll, and Darin Selnick—were part of Hegseth's inner circle and were removed as part of a broader probe that has raised questions about transparency and leadership within the Department of Defense.
According to a joint statement released by Caldwell on X, the three officials expressed their disappointment over how their service at the Department of Defense concluded. "At this time, we still have not been told what exactly we were investigated for, if there is still an active investigation, or if there was even a real investigation of ‘leaks’ to begin with," their statement read.
The turmoil comes less than 100 days into the Trump administration, which has faced scrutiny over its handling of military and civilian personnel. The Pentagon has been at the center of several controversial moves, including the recent firings of senior military officers and directives aimed at purging content that promotes diversity, equity, or inclusion. This has led to instances where notable figures, such as the Tuskegee Airmen and Jackie Robinson, were temporarily removed from military websites, sparking public outrage.
Last month, Hegseth announced that the Pentagon's intelligence and law enforcement arms were investigating alleged leaks of national security information after reports emerged that Elon Musk was set to receive a classified briefing regarding potential war plans with China. As part of this investigation, the Defense Department warned personnel that they could be subjected to polygraph tests.
In addition to Caldwell, Carroll, and Selnick, former Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot also resigned this week, although officials stated that he was asked to resign rather than choosing to leave voluntarily. The ongoing upheaval within the Pentagon is further complicated by the impending departure of Joe Casper, Hegseth's chief of staff, who is expected to leave his position in the coming days amid the Signal data leak incident.
Reports indicate that Casper will transition to a new role at the Pentagon, but his departure raises concerns about Hegseth's leadership capabilities, especially given his relatively short tenure and the loss of several key advisers. As noted by Chris Meagher, who served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs during the Biden administration, "Everyone knew Pete Hegseth didn’t have the leadership qualities, background or experience to be Secretary of Defense. All we’ve seen since then is the firing of several American heroes for alleged disloyalty, the Signal oversight, the complete lack of transparency, and now the showing of the door to several political staffers. This only confirms that he doesn’t have what it takes to lead."
The Signal leak incident has also attracted significant media attention. Jeffrey Goldberg, CEO of The Atlantic magazine, revealed that he was accidentally added to a chat on the Signal messenger where sensitive discussions about American operations against the Houthis were taking place. He was mistakenly included by an account using the name Mike Waltz, who is the national security adviser to President Trump. The chat reportedly contained information about targets, the weapons to be used, and the sequence of attacks. Shortly after this chat, direct military actions against Yemen were carried out.
Waltz later accepted responsibility for the incident, explaining that a different individual was supposed to be added to the chat instead of Goldberg. Despite the gravity of the situation, Trump considered firing Waltz for the breach but ultimately decided against it, fearing it would please his critics. Both the Pentagon and the directors of U.S. National Intelligence and the CIA, along with President Trump, have denied that military plans and classified information were discussed in the Signal chat.
The fallout from these incidents has raised serious concerns about the current state of leadership and governance within the Pentagon. As the administration continues to grapple with these challenges, the implications for national security and military operations remain to be seen. The ongoing investigation into information leaks and the reshuffling of personnel highlight the precarious balance of power and trust within the Department of Defense.
As the situation develops, many are left wondering how these changes will impact the Pentagon's operations and its ability to maintain national security in an increasingly complex global landscape. With a significant reshuffle occurring so early in the administration, the effectiveness and stability of Hegseth’s leadership will be closely scrutinized in the months to come.
