logo
Ex-NATO Commander Blasts Pete Hegseth's 'Indefensible' Conduct With Searing Reminder

Ex-NATO Commander Blasts Pete Hegseth's 'Indefensible' Conduct With Searing Reminder

Yahoo22-04-2025

Retired U.S. Navy Admiral James Stavridis slammed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday for his reported use of Signal to share highly sensitive military plans with Trump officials as well as family members and his attorney.
'There is absolutely no reason on the planet earth he should be doing that and he knows it,' said the former NATO Supreme Allied Commander of Hegseth's use of the third-party messaging app in an interview with CNN's Boris Sanchez.
'He's a former major in the U.S. Army, he was trained throughout his time as a junior officer to protect and guard the nation's secrets. He's got to know that he has failed to do that.'
Hegseth — who shared details of upcoming attacks in Yemen in a Signal chat with senior Trump officials (and a journalist) — is reportedly close to being replaced in his post after The New York Times reported Sunday that he shared nearly identical details in a separate chat with his wife, brother and lawyer.
Stavridis argued that 'Signalgate 2.0,' compared to the first chat involving high-ranking officials only to be 'leaked inadvertently' to a member of the press, now involves 'unclassified individuals who lack the need to know any of this.'
'So it's gone from outrageous to truly egregious and it's conduct that, frankly, is indefensible,' Stavridis said.
The former Fox News host — when asked about the reports of the second Signal chat on Monday — chided the media as he blamed 'disgruntled former employees' for leaks at the Pentagon.
His comments arrive following a chaotic week at the Pentagon that saw Hegseth firing three of his advisers, who — in a joint statement — claimed that they didn't know why they'd been fired.
'You can't just fire people and expect loyalty from them on the far side of the bridge,' Stavridis stressed.
'So no, I'm not surprised about the blowback from firing people that you have hired. We ought to remember, these are folks that Secretary Hegseth hired, put on his team, he chose them, he's worked with them in the past. I think it's quite damning.'
Stavridis pointed to an op-ed recently penned by John Ullyot, a top Pentagon spokesman who resigned last week who claimed that those who were fired weren't responsible for the leaks at the Defense Department.
Congressman: It's 'Fair To Wonder' If Pete Hegseth Was Drinking Amid Signal Use
Trump Can Fire Hegseth But Refuses To; Cannot Fire Powell But Wants To Anyway
Hegseth Lashes Out At Media After Firing His Own Aides Amid Pentagon 'Meltdown'

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

NATO learns as Ukraine's 'creativity' changes battlefield
NATO learns as Ukraine's 'creativity' changes battlefield

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

NATO learns as Ukraine's 'creativity' changes battlefield

Ukraine's "creativity", including its massive "Spider's web" drone attack deep inside Russia, holds profound lessons for Western militaries, the top NATO commander overseeing battlefield innovation told AFP. "What the Ukrainians did in Russia was a Trojan horse -- and the trojan horse was thousands of years ago," French Admiral Pierre Vandier, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, said in an interview. "Today, we see this kind of tactic being reinvented by technical and industrial creativity." Vandier said the operation showed how crucial innovation and adaptation were for victory, as modern warfare changes at lightning speed. "It was a real coup." "We are entering a dynamic era where armies must rely on both major planning but also adaptive planning," the navy commander said. "We will witness continuous innovation where, week by week, month by month or year by year, we will be able to invent things we hadn't anticipated." - 'Must act quickly' - Faced with the Russian threat, NATO this week adopted new objectives for its defence capabilities to ensure it will be able to repel Moscow. But Western intelligence agencies have warned that the Kremlin is reconstituting its forces at a pace far outstripping NATO and could be ready to attack the alliance in as little as four years. "Time is truly a crucial parameter. We must act quickly," Vandier said. The admiral, who previously commanded France's flagship Charles De Gaulle aircraft carrier, said NATO needed to amass the forces to dissuade any adversary from trying an attack. "When you say 'I'm defending myself', you have the weapons to defend. When you say you deter, you have the weapons to deter," he said. "That's what should prevent war -- making the adversary think: "Tomorrow morning, I won't win." NATO countries under pressure from US President Donald Trump are expected to agree a major increase in their defence spending target at a summit in The Hague this month. That should see a dramatic surge in spending on military hardware. But if cheap Ukrainian drones can inflict billions of dollars in damage on Russian bombers, is it still worth investing in vastly expensive systems? "No-one in the military sphere will tell you that we can do without what we'll call traditional equipment," Vandier said. "However, we are certain we need new equipment to complement it." Officials say that over 70 percent of battlefield casualties in Ukraine are caused by drones. But while drones are indispensable in modern warfare, they are not omnipotent. "Today, you won't cross the Atlantic with a 10-meter-long (33-foot-long) drone. You won't easily locate submarines with such tools," Vandier said. "If they accompany your large platforms, you'll be able to achieve much better results at much lower costs." - Integrating new technologies - The admiral, who works out of NATO's US base in Norfolk, Virginia, said the major challenge was "integrating new technologies and new combat methods, based on what we've witnessed in Ukraine". NATO and Ukraine have established a centre in Poland designed to help the alliance learn lessons from Russia's invasion of its neighbour. Artificial Intelligence and robotics are also increasingly having an impact and are set to help reshape the battlefield. "All modern armies will have piloted and non-piloted capabilities," Vandier said. "It's much more efficient to deliver ammunition with a ground robot than with a squad of soldiers who could face a 155-millimeter (six-inch) shell." This transformation of military capabilities within the alliance, which NATO aims to expand by at least 30 percent over coming years, will come at a significant cost, estimated in hundreds of billions of euros (dollars). Vandier insisted that while the financial effort was "substantial" it was "fully realistic". "Today, we have all the tools. We have the engineering. We have the expertise. We have the technology. So, we need to get started," he said. ob/del/ec/gil

Bitcoin Pushes Toward $107K Even as Trump Sends National Guard to Los Angeles
Bitcoin Pushes Toward $107K Even as Trump Sends National Guard to Los Angeles

Yahoo

time5 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Bitcoin Pushes Toward $107K Even as Trump Sends National Guard to Los Angeles

Bitcoin (BTC) BTC maintained a steady climb Saturday as U.S. domestic tensions intensified. Markets remained focused on crypto resilience despite unsettling headlines, including an immigration-related standoff in Los Angeles. According to a report by CNBC, over 100 arrests have been reported as clashes continued between protesters and federal agents, prompting President Trump to authorize the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops. By Sunday morning, elements of the 79th Infantry Brigade had arrived on-site, according to Northern Command. Further escalation came with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warning that U.S. Marines at Camp Pendleton could also be mobilized if violence persists. Still, Bitcoin's stability at $106,332 suggests crypto investors remain unfazed, treating the unrest as a regional event rather than a market-moving crisis. Bitcoin traded within a narrow $1,057 range, from $105,043 to $106,101, and is currently hovering at $106,332. The price action showed a strong rebound after briefly dipping below $105,100, as buying interest re-emerged around the $105,400 support level, according to CoinDesk Research's technical analysis model. An early breakout attempt above $106,100 ran into selling pressure, creating a high-volume resistance zone. That move was short-lived as profit-taking set in, though the coin held onto its gains. The consolidation structure remains bullish, with the pattern of higher lows hinting at a potential push toward $107,000 if resistance breaks cleanly. Despite broader macro headwinds, BTC continues to attract buyers during dips, underscoring its role as a perceived hedge amid rising Analysis Highlights BTC traded within a $1,288 range (1.22%) between a low of $105,043.65 and a 24-hour high of $106,332. Resistance around $105,900–$106,100 was broken as price surged beyond this zone with strong volume during the early afternoon. Support at $105,400 held firm through several retests, reinforcing bullish sentiment. A breakout to $106,332 occurred around 13:48, followed by minor profit-taking and stabilization above $106,000. The hourly chart shows an ascending trend with consistent higher lows, invalidating the earlier "pump and dump" interpretation. With momentum intact, BTC may test the $107,000 resistance level if current support near $105,800 holds. Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.

Hegseth brings warfighter mentality to media relations
Hegseth brings warfighter mentality to media relations

Yahoo

time5 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Hegseth brings warfighter mentality to media relations

The Defense Department's relationship with reporters has gone from bad to worse following a string of missives from Secretary Pete Hegseth and his office aimed at controlling the Pentagon press corps. Hegseth's war on the media includes taking desks away from legacy outlets, locking the doors to one of the few places reporters have access to the internet in the Pentagon, and restricting their movement within the building. Compounding the breakdown in media relations is a staffing shortage in the Pentagon's public affairs shop, with at least 12 officials in the office reportedly leaving in recent weeks. The office officially held 32 people at the start of the year. That has left one of the government's largest agencies often unresponsive amid a steady stream of scandals and public relations snafus, though it maintains an active 'DOD Rapid Response' account on the social platform X, which posted on Saturday, 'we will always deliver on our promise of transparency.' The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment on this article. Hegseth often talks about bringing a warfighting mentality to the Pentagon. His hostile approach to the media comes at the detriment of the American public, said Jonathan Katz, senior director for the Anti-Corruption, Democracy and Security Project at the Brookings Institution. 'Americans need to understand what's happening in the Department of Defense because it's critical to U.S. national security and to their everyday lives,' Katz told The Hill. 'Right now it looks like the Pentagon, led by Mr. Hegseth, is doing everything it can do to not share critical information with the public. That is problematic.' Since the start of President Trump's second term, the Defense Department has transformed how it typically engages with the press, largely shunning traditional media. Chief Pentagon spokesperson and senior adviser Sean Parnell has briefed the press on camera once since taking on the role in February, and Hegseth has yet to address reporters in the department's briefing room. When Hegseth does address the media, it's mostly from the White House alongside President Trump or while he is traveling. But he has shaped how he is covered on those trips by limiting the number of reporters that come with him — on some trips handpicking those from more right-leaning outlets that skew toward favorable coverage of the department. When Hegseth traveled to Guantánamo Bay in late February, he took just one reporter, his former colleague, Fox News host Laura Ingraham. Hegseth and Parnell have instead put out near-weekly 'situation reports,' video updates from the Pentagon that espouse positive headlines and commitments to 'transparency.' The DOD Rapid Response X account both plays up positive news about Hegseth and denigrates news stories and reporters that show him in a negative light. Alex Wagner, a former Pentagon official-turned-public affairs professor at Syracuse University, said the channeling of all communication into 'easily retweeted videos that are highly scripted without any chance for questions' undermines service members and confidence that defense leaders have their best interests at heart. 'It's absolutely critical that the people who are serving and sacrificing and their families understand not only what is happening to service members and their dependents, but also why it's happening,' Wagner told The Hill. 'I'm just surprised President Trump and his team are allowing it, given their repeated affirmations that they are running the most transparent administration in history,' he added, pointing to the contrast with the White House and State Department, where officials regularly brief the media. Things are only getting worse for the Pentagon press corps. Just working in the building has become arduous for many outlets after Hegseth's office in early February took away the desks of eight legacy media outlets: NBC News, The New York Times, NPR, Politico, CNN, The Washington Post, The Hill and The War Zone. The reporters had to vacate their spaces for outlets more sympathetic to the Trump administration, including One America News Network, the New York Post, Breitbart News, Newsmax, the Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller and The Free Press. The department called the shifts a 'media rotation program,' but the move was bashed by the Pentagon Press Association, which called it 'unreasonable.' Later that same month, the Pentagon banned reporters from the press briefing room unless officials were holding a briefing — which has only happened once in more than five months. This barred media from one of the few places in the building that had access to Wi-Fi to file stories. And last month, after a string of embarrassing headlines for Hegseth, including that he mishandled sensitive information in March when he relayed over Signal detailed plans to strike Houthi militants in Yemen — to a group chat that included a journalist — the Pentagon barred reporters from freely walking in certain areas of the building. Areas that are off limits now include Hegseth's office spaces and the Joint Chiefs of Staff office spaces 'without an official approval and escort from the Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs,' according to a May 23 memo signed by the Pentagon chief. The decision limits press access to hallways reporters have historically had access to under past Republican and Democratic presidential administrations, with Parnell on X calling the restrictions 'pragmatic changes to protect operational security.' It also eliminates 'the media's freedom to freely access press officers for the military services who are specifically hired to respond to press queries,' the Pentagon Press Association said in a statement. The group further called the restrictions 'a direct attack on the freedom of the press and America's right to know what its military is doing.' The National Press Club urged the department to reverse course, as 'restricting access doesn't protect national security. It undermines public trust,' the organization's President Mike Balsamo said in a statement. And a third press group, Military Reporters & Editors, said it was 'deeply troubled' by the restrictions, the likes of which hadn't been seen before at the Pentagon. 'This isn't meant to protect the republic, it is designed to impose a chill,' the organization said in a statement. 'It is a disservice to the American public, troops, veterans and families who rely on a dedicated free press to shine the light on matters of vital interest.' Further limitations are likely coming, with Hegseth's memo alluding to reporters having to soon sign a pledge to protect sensitive military information or risk losing their press badge. 'It's as if there's a separate standard for transparency and accountability that the Pentagon is not upholding under Secretary Hegseth that they're asking others to uphold,' said Katz. 'This is disconcerting for the American public that relies on the media to understand in a transparent, accountable way what the Pentagon is doing. And right now, Americans are losing faith that one of the most important national security institutions is not being truthful,' he added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store