White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt quickly denied a report that President Donald Trump’s administration is considering replacements for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
NPR reported Monday afternoon that White House officials have “begun the process of looking for a new secretary of defense,” which Leavitt quickly called “FAKE NEWS.”
The story is “total FAKE NEWS based on one anonymous source who clearly has no idea what they are talking about,” she said. “As the President said this morning, he stands strongly behind” Hegseth.
Over the weekend, the New York Times reported that Hegseth shared details about the U.S. military operations in Yemen in a second, previously unknown Signal group chat, which included his wife, brother, personal lawyer, and senior advisers.
Trump said Monday that he continues to support Hegseth.
“He is doing a great job,” the president said. “Ask the Houthis how he’s doing. Just fake news brings up stories. Sounds like disgruntled employees. He was put there to get rid of a lot of bad people, and that is what he is doing.”
HEGSETH POSTED YEMEN STRIKE DETAILS IN SECOND SIGNAL GROUP CHAT
Some of the details he reportedly shared in the group chat were similar to those he shared in the widely reported-on Signal group chat that featured senior Cabinet officials and, accidentally, a journalist with the Atlantic.
Hegseth was also defiant in the face of the new reporting, claiming that “former disgruntled employees” were responsible for the story. Two of Hegseth’s advisers were fired last week in connection with an investigation into leaks to the media, though they deny the allegations.
