President Donald Trump is growing tired of the ongoing controversies surrounding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to a new report.
While the president stood by Hegseth in public, he showed less enthusiasm behind closed doors, The Atlantic reported Friday, citing multiple unnamed sources familiar with the White House discussions.
“[Trump] is growing weary of the scandals surrounding Hegseth and isn’t pushing back when others suggest Hegseth isn’t cut out for the job, an outside White House adviser and former senior administration official told us.” Atlantic reported.
An unnamed senior administration official told the press that it had been a “tough week for Pete”.
Spokesmen for the White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment The Independent.
The president’s apparent displeasure comes as the Pentagon faces scrutiny for authorizing a second strike on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean on Sept. 2. The subsequent strike – dubbed by some as a double tap – was launched after two survivors were seen clinging to the wrecked ship.
President Donald Trump is no longer pushing back when insiders complain that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth isn’t ready for the job, according to a new report. (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
On Thursday, Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley, the Navy SEAL officer who heads U.S. Special Operations Command, showed lawmakers footage of the fatal strikes and answered questions.
Democratic Representative Jim Himes, a ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, told reporters the footage was “one of the most disturbing things I’ve seen in my time in public service.” Instead, Tom Cotton, the GOP chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called the strikes “just” and “entirely legal.”
Hegseth on Tuesday said the attack took place in the “fog of war” and said Bradley acted “within his authority and the law.”
Beyond the double-tap controversy, Hegseth has drawn wider criticism for his campaign targeting suspected traffickers, which has resulted in at least 86 deaths. Some lawmakers and human rights organizations have labeled the attacks illegal, claiming they are being used to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Republicans, however, have largely supported the strikes, arguing that they help stem the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.
This week, the Defense Department’s inspector general also released the findings of an investigation into Hegseth’s use of a Signal chat to post details of a strike against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The report concluded that the former FOX NewsThe anchor’s actions could have put American personnel at risk. In a talk Saturday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Hegseth said he doesn’t “live with any regrets” about using the signal.
President Trump publicly endorsed the Pentagon chief, telling reporters on Tuesday that “Pete is doing a great job.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also defended the military’s second strike in September. However, behind closed doors, things could be different, The Altantic report claims.
On Thursday, Hegseth ordered another raid that killed four suspected drug dealers. (X/@Southcom)
“Trump has been unhappy that a number of Republicans on Capitol Hill are using Hegseth’s record as a reason to ascend to the White House, another sign of cracks in what until recently was the GOP’s staunch allegiance to Trump,” the publication said.
This week, Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina told CNN that Hegseth was wrong to claim that the inspector general’s report on his use of a Signal chat exonerated him.
“No one can rationalize this as an exoneration,” Tillis said. “We know that information about the mission was outside of the trusted classified framework.”
On Friday, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul called Hegseth to testify under oath about the boat strikes.
“I think Congress, if it had any restraint, would not allow this administration to summarily execute people who are suspected of a crime,” he said. The Independent.
Still, a number of Republicans supported Hegseth and argued that the Pentagon is functioning well under his leadership. And a senior administration official said Atlantic that the president cannot afford to fire Hegseth and endure another Senate confirmation battle.
“People around the president always felt that Hegseth wasn’t really qualified for the job,” this official said. “But he’s redeemed himself in the eyes of the president because he’s really devoted to Trump. That’s a lot. Taking Pete, with all his baggage, that’s what it’s going to be.”
At the same time, Trump has given no indication that the boat strikes will slow down. Instead, he suggested the military campaign could escalate.
“Very soon we will start doing it on land,” the president said Wednesday.