Deepening chaos and conflicts in the Pentagon

Joe Kasper, Chief of Staff to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is stepping down, following the forced leave of other Pentagon officials—Dan Caldwell, Darrin Selnick, and Colin Carroll—amid an investigation into the leak of classified information.

It is said that Caldwell and Selnick are considering legal action due to their dismissal, but the Pentagon has not yet responded to requests for comment.

According to Politico, the current changes in the Pentagon’s structure add to the recent months of chaos in the department, including the leak of classified information by Hegseth in a Signal chat room with other national security leaders and a visit by billionaire Elon Musk to the Pentagon.

Kasper himself requested an investigation into the Pentagon’s leak scandal, which involves military operations for the Panama Canal, the deployment of a second aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, Musk’s Pentagon visit, and the halt of intelligence collection for Ukraine.

However, some Pentagon sources suggest there was a rivalry between Kasper and the ousted advisors. One defense official stated, “Kasper didn’t like those advisors. They all have different styles. They didn’t get along. It’s a personal conflict.” These changes have left Hegseth without a Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff, or senior advisor.

A senior defense official remarked, “A serious mess has erupted inside the Pentagon, and it’s genuinely affecting the Defense Secretary. Hegseth has surrounded himself with people who don’t believe in his interests at all.”

In February, another purge in the Pentagon made headlines, including the dismissal of General Charles Brown, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Admiral Lisa Franchetti, Chief of Naval Operations. Following these events, some Pentagon officials questioned what this situation means for Hegseth, an inexperienced Defense Secretary.

Democrats have criticized the recent Pentagon dismissals as evidence of Hegseth’s inability to lead the department. Chris Murphy, who served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs under the Biden administration, said, “Everyone knew Pete Hegseth lacked the leadership qualities, track record, or experience needed for the Defense Department. Everything we’ve seen so far—dismissing several American heroes due to a lack of understanding of loyalty, the chaos from Signal-gate, complete lack of transparency, and now the firing of more staff—confirms his lack of leadership strength.”