CHAOS at The Pentagon – Will Trump Fire Pete Hegseth?
The Josh Lafazan Show on YouTube - Episode 91
On this episode of The Josh Lafazan Show, Josh dives into the mounting turmoil inside the Pentagon—and whether embattled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth could be the first major cabinet casualty of the Trump administration’s second term.
From day one, Hegseth’s appointment raised eyebrows. He was the only cabinet nominee to require a tiebreaker from Vice President J.D. Vance in the Senate, with Democrats voicing serious concerns about his qualifications and a troubling list of past allegations. Unlike his predecessor, General Lloyd Austin, who held top posts like Commander of CENTCOM and Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, Hegseth’s resume didn’t remotely measure up—despite his honorable military service. As Rep. Jason Crow and other veterans have made clear: service does not equal readiness to lead the Pentagon.
And now, those concerns appear to have come to a head.
The Department of Defense is in meltdown mode. From “Signalgate”—an intelligence leak scandal that’s shaken our credibility with allies—to Elon Musk being briefed inside the Pentagon about U.S. plans for potential conflict with China, chaos is the new normal under Hegseth’s leadership.
This week, the wheels came off entirely. In an extraordinary shakeup, Hegseth’s core team—his Chief of Staff, Senior Adviser, Deputy Chief of Staff, and the Deputy Secretary’s Chief of Staff—were either fired or placed on leave, allegedly tied to an ongoing leak investigation. The departures have left Hegseth without his closest aides less than 100 days into the job.
Politico reports senior officials are calling it a “complete meltdown.” Others warn more chaos is likely in the coming days. One source put it bluntly: “Pete Hegseth has surrounded himself with some people who don’t have his interests at heart.”
And while Hegseth may not be solely to blame—some are also pointing fingers at Rep. Mike Waltz and former VP candidate Tulsi Gabbard—a recent New York Times report suggests a fractured administration. It revealed that internal divisions led Trump to wave off a potential Israeli military strike, raising further concerns about the president’s national security team.
All of this begs the question: Will Trump fire Pete Hegseth?
It’s a real possibility. Trump’s approval numbers on foreign policy and the military are slipping. And with no cabinet members ousted yet this term, Hegseth may be the first domino to fall.
But let’s not forget how we got here. GOP senators who may have had doubts about Hegseth were reportedly intimidated into voting yes—particularly amid fears of primary threats from Musk-aligned influencers. It only took one vote to block the confirmation. Instead, 50 Republican senators looked the other way.
And that’s despite the disturbing list of allegations against Hegseth, some of which were compiled by Mother Jones:
To be clear, Hegseth has vehemently denied all allegations and, like any American, is innocent until proven guilty. But the volume and seriousness of these claims should’ve given senators serious pause.
Now, the consequences of confirming someone unfit for such a critical role are playing out in real time—with national security hanging in the balance.
Josh breaks it all down in this must-listen episode. From Capitol Hill cowardice to Pentagon dysfunction, it’s clear: this is a leadership crisis we cannot ignore.
Tune in now to hear why it’s not just about Hegseth—but about the integrity and stability of America’s defense institutions.