Turmoil at the Pentagon intensifies: Senior Hegseth assistant exits position
Earlier this week, additional Defense Department officials were placed on leave.
TroibNews 
Joe Kasper, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's chief of staff, is set to depart his position in the coming days for a new role within the agency, as confirmed by a senior administration official during a tumultuous week for the Pentagon.
In a related development, senior adviser Dan Caldwell, Hegseth's deputy chief of staff Darin Selnick, and Chief of Staff to Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg, Colin Carroll, were put on leave this week amid an ongoing investigation into leaks. Three sources familiar with the situation indicated that all three individuals were terminated on Friday, requesting anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the issue.
These incidents contribute to broader instability within the Pentagon that has been escalating in recent months, marked by fallout from Hegseth's disclosure of sensitive information in a Signal chat with other national security officials, as well as a controversial visit by Elon Musk.
Caldwell, Carroll, Selnick, and Kasper have chosen not to comment on the situation, and the Pentagon has not provided a response to a request for comment.
In March, Kasper had initiated an investigation into Pentagon leaks that encompassed military operational plans related to the Panama Canal, the deployment of a second aircraft carrier to the Red Sea, Musk’s visit, and a suspension in intelligence collection for Ukraine.
There are indications that a rivalry had developed between Kasper and the recently dismissed advisers. "Joe didn’t like those guys," one defense official noted. "They all have different styles. They just didn’t get along. It was a personality clash."
The current changes will leave Hegseth without a chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, or a senior adviser in his front office.
"There is a complete meltdown in the building, and this is really reflecting on the secretary’s leadership," remarked a former defense official. "Pete Hegseth has surrounded himself with some people who don’t have his interests at heart."
The recent terminations follow a February purge of high-ranking military officers, including former Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. C. Q. Brown and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti.
"There probably will be more chaos," stated a third defense official. "It certainly reinforces the fear factor, awareness that no one's job is safe."
Questions arise regarding the implications for Hegseth, who is still seen as a relatively inexperienced leader at the Pentagon, now having lost many of his top advisers.
"The front office has some really first-rate uniformed military staff, but there’s only so much they can pick up in an organization that big," observed a former Trump administration official. "That kind of dysfunction compounds."
Democrats have highlighted the firings as further evidence of Hegseth’s struggles to effectively lead the agency.
"Everyone knew that Pete Hegseth did not possess the leadership qualities, background, or experience to be Secretary of Defense," remarked Chris Meagher, who served as assistant Defense Secretary for public affairs during the Biden administration. "Everything we’ve seen since then — the firing of several American heroes because of perceived lack of loyalty, the sloppiness of Signalgate, the complete lack of transparency, and now several political staff being shown the door — has only confirmed he doesn’t have what it takes to lead."
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
In a related development, senior adviser Dan Caldwell, Hegseth's deputy chief of staff Darin Selnick, and Chief of Staff to Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg, Colin Carroll, were put on leave this week amid an ongoing investigation into leaks. Three sources familiar with the situation indicated that all three individuals were terminated on Friday, requesting anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the issue.
These incidents contribute to broader instability within the Pentagon that has been escalating in recent months, marked by fallout from Hegseth's disclosure of sensitive information in a Signal chat with other national security officials, as well as a controversial visit by Elon Musk.
Caldwell, Carroll, Selnick, and Kasper have chosen not to comment on the situation, and the Pentagon has not provided a response to a request for comment.
In March, Kasper had initiated an investigation into Pentagon leaks that encompassed military operational plans related to the Panama Canal, the deployment of a second aircraft carrier to the Red Sea, Musk’s visit, and a suspension in intelligence collection for Ukraine.
There are indications that a rivalry had developed between Kasper and the recently dismissed advisers. "Joe didn’t like those guys," one defense official noted. "They all have different styles. They just didn’t get along. It was a personality clash."
The current changes will leave Hegseth without a chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, or a senior adviser in his front office.
"There is a complete meltdown in the building, and this is really reflecting on the secretary’s leadership," remarked a former defense official. "Pete Hegseth has surrounded himself with some people who don’t have his interests at heart."
The recent terminations follow a February purge of high-ranking military officers, including former Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. C. Q. Brown and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti.
"There probably will be more chaos," stated a third defense official. "It certainly reinforces the fear factor, awareness that no one's job is safe."
Questions arise regarding the implications for Hegseth, who is still seen as a relatively inexperienced leader at the Pentagon, now having lost many of his top advisers.
"The front office has some really first-rate uniformed military staff, but there’s only so much they can pick up in an organization that big," observed a former Trump administration official. "That kind of dysfunction compounds."
Democrats have highlighted the firings as further evidence of Hegseth’s struggles to effectively lead the agency.
"Everyone knew that Pete Hegseth did not possess the leadership qualities, background, or experience to be Secretary of Defense," remarked Chris Meagher, who served as assistant Defense Secretary for public affairs during the Biden administration. "Everything we’ve seen since then — the firing of several American heroes because of perceived lack of loyalty, the sloppiness of Signalgate, the complete lack of transparency, and now several political staff being shown the door — has only confirmed he doesn’t have what it takes to lead."
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
