Media: Ex-Pentagon official warns department’s chaos could bring down Hegseth

John Ullyot, a former top spokesperson at the Pentagon, has issued a scathing critique of the Defence Department under the leadership of Secretary Pete Hegseth, warning that its current dysfunction could lead to his removal.

Ullyot, who resigned last week, wrote in a POLITICO Magazine opinion piece that the Pentagon is in "total chaos," with internal conflicts and leadership failures undermining the department’s effectiveness, Caliber.Az reports.

"The last month has been a full-blown meltdown at the Pentagon," Ullyot stated, emphasising that the dysfunction was distracting the president, "who deserves better from his senior leadership." He accused Hegseth’s team of misrepresenting the reasons behind the firing of three top Pentagon officials, claiming the dismissals were not related to the alleged media leaks as suggested.

Furthermore, Ullyot raised concerns about Hegseth's mishandling of sensitive military information, particularly his use of the Signal messaging app, which has caused embarrassment within the administration.

"The building is in disarray under Hegseth’s leadership," Ullyot continued. "The dysfunction is now a major distraction for the president, who deserves better from his senior leadership."

Ullyot's resignation has shed light on what appears to be growing infighting at the Pentagon, with various leaks and allegations of misconduct gaining public attention. Despite his criticisms, Ullyot clarified that he continues to support the Trump administration’s national security policies.

He also noted his controversial tenure, particularly his role in defending the removal of a piece about baseball legend Jackie Robinson, part of a broader purge of diversity-related military content.

"The last month has been a full-blown meltdown at the Pentagon — and it’s becoming a real problem for the administration," Ullyot wrote, highlighting the gravity of the situation.

On Friday, the Pentagon fired senior advisers Dan Caldwell, Darin Selnick, and Colin Carroll. In addition, Joe Kasper, Hegseth’s chief of staff, will soon take on a new role within the agency. These terminations have further fuelled speculation about tensions within Hegseth’s team.

"Hegseth is now presiding over a strange and baffling purge," Ullyot remarked. "More firings may be coming, according to rumours in the building."

The three fired staff members have publicly denied any wrongdoing, with a post on X asserting they had not been informed of the reasons behind their terminations. They questioned whether there had been a genuine investigation into "leaks" and accused unnamed Pentagon officials of slandering their reputations.

They also expressed their continued support for the "Trump-Vance Administration’s mission to make the Pentagon great again," but refrained from commenting on Hegseth directly.

The firings follow the earlier dismissal of several senior military figures, including former Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. C.Q. Brown and other top officers in February.

Ullyot’s exit, too, has raised questions about his role within the Pentagon, especially as his position appeared increasingly uncertain before his departure. He stated that his resignation stemmed from an inability to reach an agreement with Hegseth over his future at the department.

Ullyot, who previously led communications at the National Security Council and the Department of Veterans Affairs during Trump’s first term, had been involved in controversial decisions, such as removing Pentagon workspaces for certain media outlets, including POLITICO, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN, in favour of conservative media.

Hegseth’s ongoing troubles include an investigation by the Pentagon’s inspector general into his use of Signal to leak sensitive information about military operations, including airstrikes in Yemen. According to The New York Times, Hegseth allegedly set up a Signal chat with his wife and lawyer to share potentially classified details about upcoming military actions.

"It’s hard to see Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth remaining in his position for much longer," Ullyot wrote, underscoring the growing uncertainty surrounding the Defence Secretary’s future.

By Aghakazim Guliyev