BREAKING

Republican Congressman supports possible removal of Hegseth

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
Today 12:19

Don Bacon is the first GOP lawmaker to support the removal of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth amid scandals over security leaks and Pentagon dysfunction.

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Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., speaks to reporters as Republicans meet to decide who to nominate to be the new House Speaker, on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Monday, October 23, 2023. (AP)

US Congressman Don Bacon (R-Neb.) on Monday became the first Republican lawmaker to publicly signal support for the potential removal of US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, citing concerns over operational security breaches.

"The military should always pride itself on operational security. If the reports are true, the Secretary of Defense has failed at operational security, and that is unacceptable," Bacon told Axios.

"If a Democrat did this, we'd be demanding a scalp. I don't like hypocrisy. We should be Americans first when it comes to security."

Bacon, who chairs a House Armed Services subcommittee, represents a competitive district won by Vice President Kamala Harris in the last election.

Pentagon scandals trigger GOP concerns

Hegseth has faced growing scrutiny following a series of scandals, including the sacking of multiple top Pentagon officials amid allegations of internal leaks. Several former officials have since publicly criticized the department.

The New York Times reported that Hegseth used the Signal app to share sensitive information about US strikes on Yemen with a private group that included his wife, brother, and personal attorney.

Despite the controversy, the White House denied reports that the Trump administration is considering replacing Hegseth.

Earlier, NPR reported, citing an unnamed official, that the administration had started looking for a new Pentagon chief.

"This NPR story is total FAKE NEWS based on one anonymous source who has no idea what they are talking about," White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt announced on X, reiterating that US President Donald Trump stands firmly behind the Pentagon chief.

Trump also personally voiced support for Hegseth, saying, "Pete's doing a great job. Everybody's happy about him." Addressing the reports, he added, "It's just fake news, they just bring up stories. It sounds like disgruntled employees."