Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 62 martyrs killed by IOF in Gaza since morning, including 32 aid seekers.
Reuters: More than 20 injured in Los Angeles, including four critically, after a car rammed into a crowd
NNA: A civilian was killed in a drone strike while fixing plumbing on a rooftop in Matal al-Jabal, on the outskirts of al-Khiam
Israeli media: In coordination with US, Israeli authorities approved Syrian regime plan to deploy thousands of internal security forces in Sweida to enforce ceasefire.
Al-Sharaa: We thank tribes for their stance, not all Druze can be judged for actions of a few.
Al-Sharaa: Syria not a testing field for secessionist plans.
Al-Sharaa: We laud US for role in securing ceasefire, Syrian state is only side capable of preserving country's sovereignty.
Al-Sharaa: Israeli intervention is one of reasons of return of tensions in Suweida following blatant bombing of South and Damascus.
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa: We received international calls to intervene in situation in Suweida and restore security.
Syrian Presidency warns of any violation of ceasefire, says it will constitute a violation of sovereignty.

Internal power struggles, leaks threaten Hegseth's tenure: WashPo

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The Washington Post
  • 27 May 2025 22:17
3 Min Read

The atmosphere of mistrust has fueled wider speculation about whether Hegseth can continue leading the Pentagon effectively.

Listen
  • x
  • AP
    Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth meets with Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz at the Pentagon, Tuesday, May 27, 2025 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

A widening internal rift within the US Department of Defense is raising alarms about the durability of Secretary Pete Hegseth's leadership, according to a report by The Washington Post, citing current and former defense officials. Behind a façade of unity, the department is reportedly mired in covert dysfunction, unresolved power struggles, and key vacancies that have left senior leadership fractured.

"There's a cold war that exists in between flashpoints... It's unsettling at times," one official familiar with internal dynamics told the paper.

Among the more visible flashpoints is a growing dispute between senior aides Eric Geressy and Ricky Buria. Geressy, a longtime associate of Hegseth and former soldier, has accused Buria, a senior adviser and former Marine, of deliberately marginalizing colleagues to position himself closer to the White House. Although Hegseth initiated a staff shakeup in April to restore cohesion, tensions persist.

The atmosphere of mistrust has fueled wider speculation about whether Hegseth can continue leading the Pentagon effectively.

Leadership Fractures

Related News

Pentagon official assessment shifted US focus from Ukraine to China

Pentagon still cannot confirm Iran nuclear sites destruction

Responding to the turmoil, Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell stated that "workforce adjustments are a natural and necessary feature of any highly effective organization," asserting that Hegseth "remains committed to ensuring the Department of Defense has the right people in the right positions to execute [US] President [Donald] Trump's agenda."

However, the dysfunction is only part of the story. Hegseth is also facing intense scrutiny over the expanding "Signalgate" controversy. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Pentagon's inspector general has widened its investigation into Hegseth's alleged mishandling of sensitive military communications. A second Signal chat, involving Hegseth's wife, brother, aides, and others, was reportedly created before his January confirmation and remained active after he took office. One exchange reportedly discussed plans for a March airstrike.

Signal Fallout

The scandal gained public attention in March when The Atlantic's editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, revealed that he was accidentally added to a Signal group by then-National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. The chat included senior administration officials, among them Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Vice President JD Vance, and contained messages discussing pending strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen.

In response to the leaks, Hegseth implemented stricter controls on press access at the Pentagon, requiring journalists to sign confidentiality agreements and restricting access to key areas. These measures have been criticized by the Pentagon Press Association as a threat to transparency and a violation of press freedom.

Despite these developments, Hegseth's position remains secure for now. Timothy Kneeland, a professor at Nazareth University, told RIA Novosti that Hegseth is unlikely to be ousted in the near term, thanks in large part to the administration's "strenuous defense." Still, Kneeland noted that if further scandals emerge, Deputy Secretary Stephen Feinberg, who previously worked with Trump during his first term, would likely be tapped as his replacement.

Read more: White House to decide Pentagon Chief of Staff, bypassing Hegseth

While the Pentagon reels from internal strife and reputational damage, the growing unease signals deeper institutional instability at one of the US government's most critical agencies.

  • Pentagon
  • SignalGate
  • Trump administration
  • Pete Hegseth

Most Read

Algerian nurse stabbed in Germany

Murder of Algerian nurse in Germany sparks outcry, demands for justice

  • Europe
  • 14 Jul 2025
Credible reports, including some from Israeli media itself, indicate that Tel Aviv had pinned its hopes on what can only be described as a delusional plan. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Jebraily: Iran strikes rewrote regional deterrence rules - Exclusive

  • MENA
  • 15 Jul 2025
Al-Qassam Brigades fighters confront Israeli soldiers in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

3 Israeli soldiers killed amid Gaza battles: Israeli media

  • Palestine
  • 14 Jul 2025
Donald Trump, the Corporate Aristocracy and the Israelization of the World

Donald Trump, the Corporate Aristocracy and the Israelization of the World

  • Opinion
  • 15 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The US Capitol, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, in Washington (AP)
Politics

Congress set to weaken oversight on foreign US arms sales

Only quarter of Americans say Trump policies helped them: Poll
US & Canada

Only quarter of Americans say Trump policies helped them: Poll

UK charities fund Israeli settlement expansion in occupied West Bank
Palestine

UK charities fund Israeli settlement expansion in occupied West Bank

Calls grow to remove Netanyahu from High School hall of fame
Politics

Calls grow to remove Netanyahu from high school Hall of Fame

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS