In what can only be described as a leadership crisis of historic proportions, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth finds himself at the center of multiple controversies that have thrown the Pentagon into disarray.
What began as a questionable appointment of a former Fox News host with limited management experience has spiraled into what former Pentagon spokesperson John Ullyot called “a month of total chaos.”
The Secret Internet Connection: Bypassing Pentagon Security
In the latest bombshell revelation, The Associated Press reported that Hegseth had an unsecured internet connection—known in IT circles as a “dirty line”—installed in his Pentagon office that deliberately bypassed the Department of Defense’s security protocols. According to two sources familiar with the setup, Hegseth had this connection established specifically to use the Signal messaging app on his personal computer.
“The biggest advantage of using such a line is that the user would not show up as one of the many IP addresses assigned to the Department of Defense — essentially the user is masked,” a senior U.S. official familiar with military network security told the AP. However, this arrangement also “can expose users to hacking and surveillance” and may lack the record-keeping compliance required by federal law.
Initially, Hegseth was reportedly going to the back area of his office where he could access Wi-Fi to use his personal devices. Later, he requested a direct line at his desk where he could use his own computer. At times, sources claim there were three computers around his desk—a personal computer, another for classified information, and a third for sensitive defense information.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell responded to these reports by stating that the defense secretary’s “use of communications systems and channels is classified,” while confirming that “the Secretary has never used and does not currently use Signal on his government computer.”
The Signal Chat Scandals: A Pattern of Security Concerns
The troubles began in March when The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to a Signal group chat where Hegseth shared sensitive details about an imminent U.S. military strike against Houthi rebels in Yemen. While the White House initially attempted to downplay the incident as “a glitch,” the situation has only deteriorated.
In a bombshell follow-up report by The New York Times, it was revealed that Hegseth had been sharing similar sensitive military information in a second Signal chat group that included his wife Jennifer Rauchet, his brother Phil, and his personal attorney Tim Parlatore. This revelation has prompted serious questions about Hegseth’s judgment and handling of sensitive national security information.
“Russia and China put up thousands of people to monitor all these phone calls at the very top, and the number one target besides the president… would be the secretary of Defense,” Republican Representative Don Bacon told reporters. “Russia and China are all over his phone, and for him to be putting secret stuff on his phone is not right. He’s acting like he’s above the law — and that shows an amateur person.”
The Makeup Studio Controversy
Adding to Hegseth’s troubles is a report from CBS News that he ordered the Pentagon to build a makeup studio near its press room. This decision, reportedly costing thousands of dollars, has raised eyebrows about priorities during a time of international tensions and internal turmoil.
While Hegseth has dismissed this as a “fake story,” the report adds to the perception of a Defense Secretary more concerned with appearances than substance. Critics have pointed to his background as a television personality as evidence that he may be ill-suited for the serious responsibilities of leading the Department of Defense.
A Pentagon in “Complete Meltdown”
The Signal chat scandals and unsecured internet connection have triggered what one senior Defense official described to Politico as “a complete meltdown in the building.” In response to suspected leaks, Hegseth has launched internal investigations that have resulted in the dismissal of several top aides.
Three senior Pentagon officials—Dan Caldwell (senior adviser), Colin Carroll (chief of staff to the deputy defense secretary), and Darin Selnick (deputy chief of staff)—were placed on leave and escorted from the building as part of an investigation into “unauthorised disclosures of national security information.” According to a memo from Hegseth’s chief of staff Joe Kasper, the investigation would include the use of polygraphs “in accordance with applicable law and policy.”
In a particularly explosive incident reported by The Wall Street Journal, Hegseth allegedly lashed out at Admiral Christopher Grady, the then-acting chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, after news leaked about a planned classified briefing on China for tech billionaire Elon Musk.
“I’ll hook you up to a f—ing polygraph!” Hegseth reportedly shouted at Grady, demanding evidence that the top official had not leaked information about the briefing. Lt. Gen. Doug Sims, the Joint Staff director, was also threatened with a polygraph test.
A Leadership Exodus
The chaos has led to a significant exodus of leadership from the Pentagon. In addition to the three senior officials placed on leave, Hegseth’s chief of staff Joe Kasper is reportedly planning to leave for another position within the agency.
John Ullyot, the former Pentagon spokesperson who resigned last week, published a scathing op-ed in Politico Magazine criticizing his former boss despite previously defending his nomination.
“It’s been a month of total chaos at the Pentagon. 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 wrote. “President Donald Trump has a strong record of holding his top officials to account. Given that, it’s hard to see Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth remaining in his role for much longer.”
Trump’s Response: Standing By His Man… For Now
Despite the mounting scandals, President Donald Trump has publicly backed Hegseth, telling reporters during Easter Monday celebrations at the White House that Hegseth is “doing a great job” and suggesting that the criticism is coming from “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.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has also defended Hegseth, stating: “This is what happens when the entire Pentagon is working against you and working against the monumental change that you are trying to implement.”
Calls for Resignation Mount
The revelations about the unsecured internet line have intensified calls for Hegseth’s removal. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg have both publicly called for Hegseth to be fired.
“The details keep coming out. We keep learning how Pete Hegseth put lives at risk. But Trump is still too weak to fire him. Pete Hegseth must be fired,” Schumer posted on social media platform X.
Buttigieg was equally direct, writing: “The Secretary is unfit to lead.”
A Mission Derailed
Hegseth has attempted to refocus attention on his stated mission at the Department of Defense, declaring that his objectives are “restoring the warrior ethos, rebuilding our military, and reestablishing deterrence.” In a recent statement, he emphasized that the Pentagon is “leaving wokeness and weakness behind.”
However, as Ullyot noted in his op-ed, “The Pentagon focus is no longer on warfighting, but on endless drama.”
The Future of Hegseth’s Pentagon
With multiple investigations underway, including a probe by the Pentagon’s inspector general into the Signal chat incidents and now questions about the unsecured internet connection, Hegseth’s future appears increasingly uncertain. The National Security Agency had already issued a warning this year about concerns that foreign hackers could try to target government officials using Signal—a warning that preceded Hegseth’s controversial use of the app.
For now, the Pentagon remains in a state of unprecedented turmoil, with national security potentially at risk due to leadership instability and internal power struggles. As one source told Politico, “There is a complete meltdown in the building, and this is really reflecting on the secretary’s leadership. Pete Hegseth has surrounded himself with some people who don’t have his interests at heart.”
In a world facing multiple international crises, from ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East to rising tensions with China, the chaos at the Department of Defense raises serious concerns about America’s readiness to respond to global challenges. The question now is not if, but when and how this leadership crisis will be resolved.