Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth can’t staff his own office as MAGA world shrinks

The Pentagon, led by Secretary Pete Hegseth, is dealing with a major staffing problem that is hurting its ability to function effectively.

Filling important jobs in Hegseth’s office has become difficult due to several reasons, mostly related to Hegseth’s divisive leadership and the shrinking number of people who meet both the political and professional standards for these roles.

Multiple reports show that the White House is having trouble finding the right people for senior advisor and chief of staff positions, according to NBC. These jobs are usually in high demand, but at least three people have turned down offers. The main reason given is a lack of trust in Hegseth’s leadership. His time in office has been marked by several controversies, creating an atmosphere of instability and doubt.

One major event involved the sudden suspension of two senior aides, Dan Caldwell and Darin Selnick, which Fox News tore into, followed by the resignation of a senior press aide who called the office “completely chaotic.” Hegseth later accused people of leaking sensitive information, further damaging trust in his leadership and making it harder to recruit skilled professionals.

Pete Hegseth can’t find senior workers after many scandals

The Signal chat scandal, where Hegseth was accused of sharing classified information with his wife and others, made the situation worse. This incident, along with others, reportedly forced the White House to step in and remove Hegseth and his personal lawyer from overseeing investigations into the suspended aides.

Finding qualified candidates is also harder because the White House insists that hires must support a specific political ideology. Some candidates were reportedly rejected for not being loyal enough to the “MAGA” movement, while Hegseth also turned down some of the White House’s suggestions. This conflict over who to hire has slowed down the process, leaving key positions empty. As a result, the Pentagon’s leadership team lacks experience, which is seriously affecting decision-making.

The staffing shortage has had real consequences. The “Golden Dome” missile defense program, a major project, has been delayed partly because of the internal chaos. Additionally, the Pentagon’s budget has not been finished, frustrating Republican lawmakers, many of whom helped confirm Hegseth. The situation is made even more complicated by an upcoming Pentagon inspector general report that is expected to conclude Hegseth shared classified information through Signal.

Despite these problems, Hegseth has had some successes. Military recruitment has gone up during his time, continuing a trend that began before the current administration but reportedly sped up under his leadership. He also removed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs from the Pentagon and military branches. However, these positive changes are overshadowed by the ongoing staffing crisis.

The challenge isn’t just that there aren’t enough qualified people available, but that very few are willing to work under Hegseth’s leadership style and in the environment he has created. This is a major problem for the current administration.