Existence of group chat including Hegseth, his wife and others prompt calls for defense secretary to step down

A former top Pentagon spokesperson has slammed Pete Hegseth’s leadership of the department of defense, as pressure mounts on the US’s top military official following reports of a second Signal chatroom used to discuss sensitive military operations.

John Ullyot, who resigned last week after initially serving as Pentagon spokesperson, said in a opinion essay published by Politico on Sunday that the Pentagon has been overwhelmed by staff drama and turnover in the initial months of the second Trump administration.

Ullyot called the situation a “full-blown meltdown” that could cost Hegseth, a 44-year-old former Fox News host and National Guard officer, his job as defense secretary.

  • Gordon Calhoun@lemmy.world
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    13 days ago

    Former major makes major blunder by signaling major incompetence on Signal, forcing former major to seek force majeure immunity.

    • partial_accumen@lemmy.world
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      13 days ago

      Former major makes major blunder by signaling major incompetence on Signal, forcing former major to seek force majeure immunity.

      The general consensus is that the private information shared on Signal is a major problem that should probably lead to corporal punishment.

  • Optional@lemmy.world
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    13 days ago

    What a weird fucking opinion piece (the linked Politico story, not the OP)

    Last week, a month after leaving my public affairs role, I respectfully declined the secretary’s generous offer for a new position and informed him of my decision to leave the department, wishing him all the best. I value his friendship and am grateful for his giving me the opportunity to serve. I salute his leadership in helping the president make America strong again.

    Yet even strong backers of the secretary like me must admit: The last month has been a full-blown meltdown at the Pentagon — and it’s becoming a real problem for the administration.

    “I love the guy like a brother, but what a complete fuck-up” sandwiched in with so much trump butt-licking it’s beyond gross.

  • Gerudo@lemm.ee
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    13 days ago

    Susan Collins told me he learned from his first mistake though. I’m starting to think he didn’t.

  • BetaBlake@lemmy.world
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    13 days ago

    Others do and HAVE been court martialed for less. Like no hyperbole, you are fucked if you are anyone else.

    • Dlayknee@lemmy.world
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      13 days ago

      That’s what I can’t get over. I mean sure, we know double standards are rife in this administration but OMG how is the entire security community and leadership (looking at you, Congress) not absolutely losing their minds at this? Didn’t they send a SWAT team or something after one of the War Thunder forum leakers for posting a simple manual?! This is just insane.

  • finder@lemmy.world
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    13 days ago

    Donald Trump Jr pushed back on the opinion piece, saying the author is “officially exiled” from Trump’s political movement. “This guy is not America First,” Trump Jr wrote on X. “I’ve been hearing for years that he works his ass off to subvert my father’s agenda. That ends today.”

    The fuck?

    • Today@lemmy.world
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      13 days ago

      There’s a joke here about his wife and his brother getting sucked in, but I haven’t figured it out yet.

  • betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world
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    13 days ago

    Should have given the job to that Teixiera dipshit, at least he has the excuse of being young and inexperienced to explain his stupidity.