Pete Hegseth has caused quite a stir within the Department of Defense after he fired four key aides, sparking significant unrest among staff. The dismissed individuals—senior adviser Dan Caldwell, Deputy Chief of Staff Darin Selnick, Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary of Defense Colin Carroll, and Chief of Staff Joe Kasper—were let go following a series of leaks involving sensitive government information. These leaks included an incident where Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly added to a Signal chat discussing classified plans.
According to a Pentagon official, the decision was influenced by tension among the staff members, which had made it difficult for Hegseth to work effectively with them. The official noted, “Joe had issues with the others, and their differing approaches led to constant friction. It became clear there was no easy way to make it work.”
The firing has created a wave of chaos within the department, with one senior official commenting, “Things are completely out of control now. This reflects poorly on the leadership, and Hegseth’s alliances seem to be causing more harm than good.” Some insiders are even questioning whether the leadership team has the capability to manage such a large organization, with the level of dysfunction only making matters worse.
Despite the dismissals, Joe Kasper is reportedly moving into a new role within the department. However, there are concerns that the instability might continue, with one official stating, “More disruptions are likely, and no one’s job feels secure right now.”
These changes come on the heels of other high-profile dismissals, including Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. C.Q. Brown and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, sparking concerns among some political figures that these moves could be used to challenge Hegseth’s leadership. As tensions rise, it remains to be seen how this chaos will impact the department’s ability to function smoothly moving forward.