US defence secretary tries to win Trump’s trust amid Pentagon turmoil

US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth is reportedly working to present himself as a fighter to President Donald Trump, despite growing negative press and internal Pentagon challenges. 

Hegseth has intensified his public appearances, especially on his former network, where he can directly address the president, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

This effort follows a recent phone call with Trump, during which the president disapproved of Hegseth’s actions regarding text messages about airstrikes in Yemen, calling them "childish." However, Trump ended the call by encouraging Hegseth to "keep fighting." Hegseth’s behavior has become increasingly "erratic" as he faces scrutiny over his performance and infighting among his staff. Sources close to Hegseth suggest he has grown insecure about his job, frequently reminding staff that he cannot afford to be fired. 

The tense atmosphere is compounded by reports of Hegseth yelling at and berating his team. One of the more intense incidents involved Hegseth threatening to "polygraph" top Pentagon officials, including Adm. Chris Grady, after leaks surfaced regarding his approval of a briefing for Elon Musk. The threats of polygraphs were made to multiple officials. In response to staff unrest, Hegseth has seen key personnel changes. Last week, three senior advisers were placed on administrative leave amid a leak investigation and were later terminated. 

This was followed by the departure of Hegseth’s chief of staff, Joe Kasper, who will continue working with the administration in a new role. Meanwhile, concerns about Hegseth’s use of Signal, a messaging app, and his circumvention of security protocols at the Pentagon have raised alarms. Hegseth allegedly installed a "dirty" internet line in his office to use the app, potentially compromising sensitive communications.

By Naila Huseynova