Our Best Stuff on Turmoil at the Pentagon
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TL;DR
- Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned after meeting with President Trump regarding concerns about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's management.
- Hegseth has reportedly fired or blocked promotions for over 80 generals and admirals, with a significant percentage being minority or female officers.
- Hegseth fired the Army chief of staff, the head of the Transformation and Training Command, and a European/African theater commander.
- Concerns exist about Hegseth cutting staff for the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response program.
- Hegseth is accused of a shift in stance on civilian harm, previously condemning incidents as a Fox News analyst and now allegedly downplaying them as Pentagon head.
- The Pentagon has reportedly placed conservative influencers on its payroll to defend Hegseth and the administration, with some not disclosing their Pentagon work.
- Hegseth has been accused of restricting the Pentagon press corps, favoring MAGA-friendly outlets, and firing editors of Stars and Stripes for its coverage.
- Critics argue Hegseth's approach prioritizes "ruthlessness" over strategy and uses government means to influence public opinion.