New York mag on the Pentagon in chaos: scrutiny after leaks, infighting, and security lapses

As international tensions escalate, the Pentagon is facing Trumpian instability under SecDe Pete Hegseth, with requisite leak scandals, staff infighting, and a series of security breaches. *New York mag* goes long on the tumult caused by the FOXy Pentagon head.

Hegseth’s tenure, from its January confirmation by a single-vote margin, began under a cloud, with allegations of financial mismanagement and inappropriate drinking at nonprofits he ran to sexual assault—claims Hegseth has denounced as “anonymous smears.” So, despite objections from both parties, President Trump pressed for Hegseth’s confirmation.

The leaks, Signal, and security chaos

Hegseth’s early months in charge were defined by a string of security debacles, per New York. Most notable among them was “Signalgate”: senior Pentagon leaders, including Hegseth, discussed sensitive war plans via Signal—a commercial messaging app—in a group chat that accidentally included Atlantic’s editor Jeffrey Goldberg.

Revelations cascaded: Hegseth had set up an unsecured internet line in his Pentagon office to use Signal—a move experts called a major security vulnerability. As pressure mounted, Hegseth threatened polygraph tests for top generals and escalated a leak investigation that saw several senior advisers publicly escorted out of the building with no clear evidence ever presented against them. White House advisers were told, implausibly, that wiretap evidence justified the firings—a claim later flatly denied by the administration’s own legal counsel.

So, a leadership vacuum inside one of America’s most critical institutions. Morale plunged, key roles went unfilled, and senior military officials privately expressed alarm over the Pentagon’s preparedness “in crisis.”

Trump stands by his man—for now

Through the tumult, President Trump has so far resisted calls to sack handsome Hegseth. “He went through a lot, didn’t he, but he’s doing really well. He’s a tough cookie. That’s what we want,” Trump declared in a Memorial Day speech. However, even stalwart supporters concede Hegseth’s lack of management experience and growing paranoia aren’t ideal.