GOP losing faith in Pete Hegseth. Now, it’s on Donald Trump to decide his future

Republican senators are growing seriously frustrated with Secretary Pete Hegseth’s leadership following a series of high-profile security controversies at the Pentagon. While the GOP isn’t exactly vouching for him, most senators are carefully avoiding public criticism and are making it clear that the final decision on Hegseth’s fate rests entirely with President Trump.

This political tightrope walk comes after months of what Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) described as a “bumpy” tenure atop the Pentagon since his confirmation in January. Many Republicans feel they can’t publicly challenge Hegseth because President Trump went to bat for him during those difficult confirmation hearings. They are keeping their distance from the escalating list of issues, according to The Hill.

One of the newest and most damaging scandals involves Hegseth’s reckless use of a commercial messaging app, Signal, to share sensitive military operational information. The Department of Defense’s inspector general recently confirmed that Hegseth used the app in a chat group that inadvertently included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor in chief of The Atlantic magazine. This is just awful operational security.

Pete Hegseth can’t stop making trouble

Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, slammed the report. He said Hegseth’s use of Signal showed a “reckless disregard for the safety of American servicemembers.” Reed noted the report concluded this information “could have jeopardized the mission and endangered U.S. personnel.”

But the Signal leak isn’t the only issue undermining Hegseth’s credibility. Last week, he disparaged a Washington Post report about a follow-up missile strike on survivors of a suspected Venezuelan drug boat as “fake news.” This proved to be a major mistake. The White House confirmed on Monday that a second strike did take place on September 2 to eliminate the survivors.

Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) didn’t mince words when discussing the incident. Tillis, who cast the decisive vote to confirm Hegseth on January 24, said Hegseth undercut his own credibility by making a “snap statement” that proved to be false or inadequate.

“Just have the information and don’t undermine your credibility by making a snap statement that proves to be either false or inadequate,” Tillis stated. He called the denial “just bush league.” He emphasized that precision is important when “You’re the secretary of Defense for the United States of America.” That’s a strong condemnation, and honestly, if you’re the Secretary of Defense, you just can’t afford that level of inaccuracy.

Tillis also criticized Hegseth for not taking more responsibility for the security leak on Signal. “You just got to own it if you share classified information outside of classified channels with people who don’t have clearance,” Tillis said. “It’s pretty cut-and-dried. Just accept it.”

The follow-up strikes have sparked calls for extreme transparency. Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) broke ranks with many GOP colleagues, demanding that Hegseth testify under oath about the orders that led to the attack on the initial survivors. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) joined the demand, calling on Hegseth to release the tapes of the Caribbean boat strikes.

“If he refuses to release the tapes, if he stonewalls, if he keeps hiding the facts, then the question becomes unavoidable: What is Pete Hegseth hiding?” Schumer asked on the Senate floor.

Despite all the frustration, Hegseth still has some defenders, especially since military recruitment is reportedly up under his watch. An anonymous Republican senator noted that Hegseth is focused on a “war-fighting machine,” which is a mission most lawmakers agree on. The senator added the simple, undeniable truth: “He’s the president’s pick.”

Ultimately, the GOP leadership is deflecting. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) twice declined to say he had full confidence in Hegseth, instead arguing that the nation is safer now than it was under former President Biden. Thune emphasized that the Secretary of Defense “serves at the pleasure of the president.”

Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) agreed, saying that the question of Hegseth’s future is “really a question for the president.” It seems clear that while many Republicans are tired of the constant flow of s*** shows coming out of the Pentagon, they are going to let President Trump make the final decision.