The Trump administration is quietly evaluating potential candidates to lead the Pentagon, a US official revealed to NPR on Monday, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces renewed scrutiny over alleged security breaches.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, indicated discussions are in early stages and no final decision has been made.
At the center of the growing controversy is Hegseth’s alleged dissemination of sensitive military information via Signal, an encrypted messaging platform, to individuals outside official government channels.
On Sunday, it was reported that the recipients included Hegseth’s wife, brother, and legal counsel. The shared information reportedly contained real-time operational details of US airstrikes targeting Houthi forces in Yemen.
This disclosure reportedly occurred in March, around the same period Hegseth engaged in another Signal chat with senior White House personnel — a group that inadvertently included The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg. That communication, which happened just hours before strikes were executed, has prompted concern within defense circles about potential risks to operational security and US personnel. American drones have already been downed twice by Houthi militants in recent months.
Despite the growing backlash, the White House has pushed back on reports suggesting Hegseth’s job is in jeopardy. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the matter on X, writing that President Trump “stands strongly” with Hegseth. The President echoed that support during remarks at the White House.
“He's doing a great job — ask the Houthis how he's doing,” Trump told reporters, dismissing the allegations as politically motivated distractions. “Concerns over the Signal chats are a waste of time.”
Hegseth himself responded to the allegations during the White House Easter celebration, firmly denying any wrongdoing.
“This is what the media does,” Hegseth said. “They take anonymous sources from disgruntled former employees, and then they try to slash and burn people, ruin their reputation. It's not going to work with me.”