Latest news with #Ullyot
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Donald Trump Jr. rips into ex-Pete Hegseth staffer 'exiled' from MAGA movement for trying to secretly tear it down
Donald Trump Jr. torched former Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot who warned that the department of defense is in 'chaos' in a Politico op-ed released Sunday and suggested it was time for Secretary Pete Hegseth to resign. 'This guy is not America First,' Trump's son wrote on social media. 'I've been hearing for years that he works his ass off to subvert my father's agenda. That ends today. He's officially exiled from our movement.' Ullyot resigned from the Pentagon complaining of a 'month from hell' in the agency which resulted int a 'near collapse' that led the secretary to fire three of his 'most loyal senior staffers' senior adviser Dan Caldwell, deputy chief of staff Darin Selnick and Colin Carroll, chief of staff to the deputy secretary of Defense. 'The last month has been a full-blown meltdown at the Pentagon — and it's becoming a real problem for the administration,' he wrote, noting that he was a 'strong backer' of Hegseth in the beginning. But MAGA allies pushed back against Ullyot, recalling his service in Trump's first administration in the department of veterans affairs and on the national security council in the White House. 'Ullyot is universally regarded in Trumpworld as an incompetent buffoon who sucks at his job. I told Pete to fire him as soon as I heard that he got a job at the Pentagon,' wrote MAGA-connected political consultant Arthur Schwartz in reaction to the news. Sources familiar with Ullyot tell that he was 'pushed out' of his job at the Pentagon and had a record of being 'incompetent' and 'untrustworthy.' Hegseth told Fox News on Tuesday that he was disappointed by the revelations involved in the investigation of media leaks but laid out his reasoning for firing three of his top advisors. 'We took it seriously. It led to some unfortunate places, people I have known for quite some time,' he said. 'But it's not my job to protect them. It's my job to protect national security, the president of the United States.' Hegseth also cryptically reacted to Ullyot's service, accusing him of spinning his work to the media to fit a different narrative. 'Anyone who knows John knows why we let him go, we did a lot of favors for John, he did some good work upfront and he was moved along and asked to move along, now he has misrepresented a lot of things in the press, it's unfortunate,' he said, attributing the op-ed as 'politics.'
Arab News
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Pentagon says leak probe may lead to US prosecutions
Hegseth left open the possibility that individuals could be exonerated'We said enough is enough. We're going to launch a leak investigation,' he saidWASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned on Tuesday of possible prosecutions of former senior advisers who were fired during a probe into leaks of Pentagon information to the media, saying evidence would be handed over to the Department of Justice once the investigation is Caldwell, who was one of Hegseth's top advisers, and two other senior officials were fired on Friday after being escorted out of the Pentagon. But they have denied any wrongdoing and said they have been told nothing about any alleged who has come under fire for using unclassified messaging system Signal to discuss plans to attack Yemen's Houthi group, left open the possibility that individuals could be exonerated during the investigation but played down those chances.'If those people are exonerated, fantastic. We don't think — based on what we understand — that it's going to be a good day for a number of those individuals because of what was found in the investigation,' Hegseth told Fox said there had been a number of leaks that triggered the investigation, including about military options to ensure US access to the Panama Canal and Elon Musk's visit to the Pentagon.'We said enough is enough. We're going to launch a leak investigation,' Hegseth said.'We took it seriously. It led to some unfortunate places, people I have known for quite some time. But it's not my job to protect them. It's my job to protect national security.'He said evidence would eventually be handed over to the Department of Justice.'When that evidence is gathered sufficiently — and this has all happened very quickly — it will be handed over to the DOJ and those people will be prosecuted if necessary,' Hegseth had played a critical role as an adviser to Hegseth and his importance was underscored in a leaked text chain on Signal disclosed by The Atlantic last it, Hegseth named Caldwell as the best staff point of contact for the National Security Council as it prepared for the launch of strikes against the Houthis in Sunday, news emerged of a second Signal chat, a disclosure that Hegseth and other officials have blamed on former Pentagon growing calls from Democrats for Hegseth to resign, President Donald Trump has stood firmly by his defense Ullyot, who was ousted from his job as a Pentagon spokesperson after two months, said on Sunday that Hegseth's Defense Department was in 'total chaos.''The dysfunction is now a major distraction for the president — who deserves better from his senior leadership,' Ullyot wrote in an opinion piece in about Ullyot's remarks, Hegseth said: 'He's misrepresented a lot of things in the press. It's unfortunate.'
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hegseth says staffers found leaking ‘will be prosecuted' amid Pentagon chaos
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said staffers found to be leaking from within the Pentagon 'will be prosecuted,' as the embattled Cabinet secretary seeks to fend off reports of turmoil from within his department. Hegseth's push to investigate leaks at the DOD comes as he faces heightened scrutiny for disarray under his leadership at the Pentagon and is part of a broader administration effort to quash leaks across government agencies. 'We're going to investigate and when we investigate, we'll take it anywhere it leads,' Hegseth told Brian Kilmeade of 'Fox and Friends' on Tuesday morning, referencing 'a series of serious leaks at the Pentagon' that had prompted a Defense Department investigation, including information related to Panama Canal plans and Elon Musk's visit to a Pentagon briefing. 'When that evidence is gathered sufficiently — and this has all happened very quickly — it will be handed over to [the Justice Department], and those people will be prosecuted if necessary,' Hegseth said. (Hegseth was previously a 'Fox and Friends' host before taking the top Pentagon job.) Chaos at the Pentagon has quickly spiraled in recent days, with three top officials who were removed in relation to leak probes claiming that they '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.' Hegseth himself has also been the target of criticism, coming under fire again this week for sharing attack plans in a private Signal chat with his wife, brother and personal lawyer, as The New York Times reported. Hegseth found himself in the center of a similar controversy last month after sending sensitive plans in an unsecured chat that mistakenly included Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, in a scandal now dubbed Signalgate. But Hegseth's troubles haven't ended there. A former Pentagon spokesperson, John Ullyot, penned an opinion piece in POLITICO Magazine over the weekend claiming 'the building is in disarray under Hegseth's leadership.' Ullyot resigned from the Pentagon last week. Hegseth on Tuesday appeared to take aim at Ullyot's credibility, saying: 'Anybody that knows John knows why we let him go.' President Donald Trump has, for now, shown Hegseth his full support, both speaking privately to the Defense secretary and telling reporters during Monday's White House Easter egg roll 'Pete is doing a great job. Ask the Houthis how he's doing.' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took her defense of Hegseth even further, telling 'Fox and Friends' on Monday that 'the entire Pentagon is working against' their boss.
Politico
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Hegseth says staffers found leaking ‘will be prosecuted' amid Pentagon chaos
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said staffers found to be leaking from within the Pentagon 'will be prosecuted,' as the embattled Cabinet secretary seeks to fend off reports of turmoil from within his department. Hegseth's push to investigate leaks at the DOD comes as he faces heightened scrutiny for disarray under his leadership at the Pentagon and is part of a broader administration effort to quash leaks across government agencies. 'We're going to investigate and when we investigate, we'll take it anywhere it leads,' Hegseth told Brian Kilmeade of 'Fox and Friends' on Tuesday morning, referencing 'a series of serious leaks at the Pentagon' that had prompted a Defense Department investigation, including information related to Panama Canal plans and Elon Musk's visit to a Pentagon briefing. 'When that evidence is gathered sufficiently — and this has all happened very quickly — it will be handed over to [the Justice Department], and those people will be prosecuted if necessary,' Hegseth said. (Hegseth was previously a 'Fox and Friends' host before taking the top Pentagon job.) Chaos at the Pentagon has quickly spiraled in recent days, with three top officials who were removed in relation to leak probes claiming that they '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.' Hegseth himself has also been the target of criticism, coming under fire again this week for sharing attack plans in a private Signal chat with his wife, brother and personal lawyer, as The New York Times reported . Hegseth found himself in the center of a similar controversy last month after sending sensitive plans in an unsecured chat that mistakenly included Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, in a scandal now dubbed Signalgate. But Hegseth's troubles haven't ended there. A former Pentagon spokesperson, John Ullyot, penned an opinion piece in POLITICO Magazine over the weekend claiming 'the building is in disarray under Hegseth's leadership.' Ullyot resigned from the Pentagon last week. Hegseth on Tuesday appeared to take aim at Ullyot's credibility, saying: 'Anybody that knows John knows why we let him go.' President Donald Trump has, for now, shown Hegseth his full support, both speaking privately to the Defense secretary and telling reporters during Monday's White House Easter egg roll 'Pete is doing a great job. Ask the Houthis how he's doing.' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took her defense of Hegseth even further, telling 'Fox and Friends' on Monday that 'the entire Pentagon is working against' their boss.
Euronews
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Hegseth lashes out at media amidst 'full blown meltdown' at the Pentagon claims
ADVERTISEMENT US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has lashed out at media reports of a second Signal group chat used to discuss sensitive military information. The media reports were quoting "anonymous sources from disgruntled former employees" Hegseth said, alluding to a New York Times story that alleged the existence of a second Signal group chat discussing sensitive information on US strikes in Yemen. The outlet claimed Hegseth had taken part in a second chat, which included his wife, brother and around a dozen other people just over a month after the existence of the first chat sparked a political scandal. Pressure mounted on Hegseth when former Pentagon spokesperson John Ullyot published an op-ed in Politico on Sunday in which he described the workplace under Hegseth as overwhelmed by staff drama and turnover. The situation was in "full-blown meltdown", Ullyot wrote, adding that he believed the dysfunction should cost Hegseth his position. "From leaks of sensitive operational plans to mass firings, the dysfunction is now a major distraction for the president – who deserves better from his senior leadership,' Ullyot said." Hegseth on Monday sidestepped questions about Ullyot. He implied media reports were to blame for publishing the claims of former staffers who were maliciously planting stories. Three former senior advisers to Hegseth were ousted last week in the midst of an expanding information probe. In a join statement, the three said they were subject to "baseless attacks" as they were escorted out the door of the Pentagon. "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," the three said. Ullyot also announced his resignation last week, though the Pentagon later stated he was asked to resign. Signal app seen on a mobile device screen in Chicago, 25 March, 2025 AP Photo White House shields Hegseth The White House has so far defended Hegseth and the turmoil that has engulfed the Pentagon. Trump called the stories "fake news" and, like Hegseth, attributed them to "disgruntled employees." "You know, he was put there to get rid of a lot of bad people, and that's what he's doing. So you don't always have friends when you do that,' Trump said, adding he thought his defence chief was doing a "great job." The Pentagon's chief spokesperson Sean Parnell blamed the "Trump-hating media". 'There was no classified information in any Signal chat, no matter how many ways they try to write the story. What is true is that the Office of the Secretary of Defence is continuing to become stronger and more efficient in executing President Trump's agenda. We've already achieved so much for the American warfighter, and will never back down,' Parnell said. Related Pentagon watchdog to review Hegseth's use of Signal to convey Yemen strike plans Pete Hegseth shared details of Yemen strike in second Signal chat, media report Calls to resign Hegseth is however facing growing calls to resign from Democrats, who have slammed the Trump administration for failing to take action against top officials using the commercial app Signal to discuss classified military information. ADVERTISEMENT Influential Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer on Sunday directly called for Hegseth to leave his post. 'The details keep coming out. We keep learning how Pete Hegseth put lives at risk. But Trump is still too weak to fire him,' Schumar posted on social media. Jack Reed, a Democratic Senator from Rhode Island said that if the report of the second Signal chat is true it would be "another troubling example of Secretary Hegseth's reckless disregard for the laws and protocols that every other military service member is required to follow'. Hegseth lacks the experience, competence and character to run the Department of Defence, Reed alleged.
