Recommendations of the Editorial team
Pete Hegseth already has a predictable in his role as a defense minister Lack of competence laid down. But it’s not just that sloppy use of signal chatsthat forced the White House to operate damage limitation for him. According to a report From Reuters From Tuesday, Hegseth has the military aid for the Ukraine painted.
Eleven weapon deliveries stopped: Transcom reacts to Hegseth’s decision
The suspension, which Hegseth had ordered just a few days after Trump’s inauguration, led the US transport command (Transcom) to stop eleven flights with weapons and artillery to Ukraine. Ukrainian and Polish officials turned to the White House to ask what was going on. According to Reuters, civil servants were in Pentagonin the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the President’s office, not informed that such a suspension had been ordered.
Reactions from the White House, Pentagon and Foreign Ministry
An unsettling picture draws from Reuters. Shortly after a session in the Oval Office, Hegseth had an oral deliveries to stop the arms deliveries shortly after a meeting in the Oval Office, in which the reduction in military aid for Ukraine was not decided. The instruction was quickly undone. And so far the incident has been effectively covered up.
Self -authoring action without instructions from the president
The White House claimed that Hegseth had followed an instruction from Trump, which was in line with the government’s politics at the time. But other sources that were informed with Reuters and about the course of the events said that US security officers and others, who would normally be involved in such a decision, had no idea that the order had been issued.
Use of the signal app by Pete Hegseth ensures security concerns
This is another case in which sloppy communication problems – either by excess or missing – the Defense Minister and the government embarrassed. Hegseth had already got into trouble after it became known that he had passed on sensitive attack plans against Houthi rebels in Yemen in two signal group chats. Loud a report the Wall Street Journal from Monday Hegseth Signal – which is only approved by the Pentagon for extremely restricted, not classified communication – has used much more extensively than previously known.
Sensitive information passed on in unsecured signal chats
Sources that with the Wsj have spoken, say that the defense minister led about a dozen signal chats to discuss all possible issues of defense policy with relevant parties. Including representatives of foreign governments and partner countries. According to the sources, Hegseth Signal used to discuss potentially sensitive information on both his private phone and about unsecured lines in the Pentagon.
Hegseth’s employee Ricky Buria as a source of safety -relevant content
In other cases, it is Marine Colonel Ricky Buria-an employee of Hegseth-who publishes information in Hegseth’s signal chats on his name. According to the sources, Buria was the person who proposed air raid plans against the Houthis in a chat with Hegseth’s wife and his brother.
Criticism of Hegseth’s communication behavior in the Pentagon
The Ministry of Defense has invested enormous sums in the creation of safe internal and external communication networks in order to protect itself from deliberate and accidental information leaks or real hacking and espionage. However, Hegseth seems to prefer the convenience of a third-party application. Employees and other persons to whom the minister sends messages reported to the Wsjthat they are sometimes forced to leave their desk. And in the Pentagon to look for a place where you have enough mobile phone reception to react to the application.
Reduction of the four-star generis and admirals by 20 percent
As long as Hegseth is at the top, the Pentagon will continue to exist in a state of uncertainty. On Monday arranged The Defense Minister to reduce the number of four-star generis and admirals in the military by 20 percent.
Distrust in the US Senate: Jack Reed calls for explanations to the committee of armed
“Minister Hegseth has shown his willingness to relieve military leaders for no reason. And I will skeptically look at the reasons for these plans. Until he explains them before the armed forces committee”, ” said NBC News Democratic Senator Jack Reed (RI). The highest democrat in the Senate forces committee.
Donald Trump’s backing for Pete Hegseth despite continuing scandals
Despite all the controversy, Trump repeatedly emphasized that he is sticking to Hegseth. He recently told opposite The AtlanticHe spoke to Hegseth about his problems. And be confident, That the man he put at the top of the US military “will get the matter under control”.