Existence of group chat including Hegseth, his wife and others prompt calls for defense secretary to step down

A former top Pentagon spokesperson has slammed Pete Hegseth’s leadership of the department of defense, as pressure mounts on the US’s top military official following reports of a second Signal chatroom used to discuss sensitive military operations.

John Ullyot, who resigned last week after initially serving as Pentagon spokesperson, said in a opinion essay published by Politico on Sunday that the Pentagon has been overwhelmed by staff drama and turnover in the initial months of the second Trump administration.

Ullyot called the situation a “full-blown meltdown” that could cost Hegseth, a 44-year-old former Fox News host and National Guard officer, his job as defense secretary.

  • finder@lemmy.world
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    8 hours ago

    Donald Trump Jr pushed back on the opinion piece, saying the author is “officially exiled” from Trump’s political movement. “This guy is not America First,” Trump Jr wrote on X. “I’ve been hearing for years that he works his ass off to subvert my father’s agenda. That ends today.”

    The fuck?

    • ToastedPlanet@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      7 hours ago

      The MAGA movement is a cult. Don Jr, the eldest son of the cult leader, is telling the other cultists this author is excommunicated from the cult. Thus the cultists know to ignore anything relating to this topic and can continue their blind devotion in peace.

  • Gerudo@lemm.ee
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    9 hours ago

    Susan Collins told me he learned from his first mistake though. I’m starting to think he didn’t.

    • Wilco@lemm.ee
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      9 hours ago

      Pretty much everyone that doesnt have Trumps balls in his mouth called that one.

      The same goes for the antivax weirdo with a brain worm and pretty much all the MAGA picks.

  • BetaBlake@lemmy.world
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    10 hours ago

    Others do and HAVE been court martialed for less. Like no hyperbole, you are fucked if you are anyone else.

    • Dlayknee@lemmy.world
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      10 hours ago

      That’s what I can’t get over. I mean sure, we know double standards are rife in this administration but OMG how is the entire security community and leadership (looking at you, Congress) not absolutely losing their minds at this? Didn’t they send a SWAT team or something after one of the War Thunder forum leakers for posting a simple manual?! This is just insane.

      • ceoofanarchism@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        13 hours ago

        Yep its rather disgusting how lots of people frame these things to just criticize his unprofessionalism and gloss over and ignore the war crimes.

        • C45513@lemm.ee
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          10 hours ago

          rampant war crimes aren’t surprising; the US has been doing that for forever. But there used to be the veneer of competence, so I understand why that’s the part that’s getting the focus.

        • KittyKalledKarma@slrpnk.net
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          12 hours ago

          Considereding the Hague invasion clause is still in place in the U.S.A it’s not surprising.

          No one has ever been meaningfully punished there for war crimes or mass murder but if you’re incompetent/ a leaker the state department is on your ass quick.

          I mean ffs the democratic party threw anti genocide protestors under the bus rather then critique Israel over its ongoing genocide. It’s honestly just a reflection of what seems to be the average American mentality.

        • A_Union_of_Kobolds@lemmy.world
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          12 hours ago

          Probably because criticizing the US for war crimes leads to Democrats too

          There are reasons the US doesn’t give a shit about the ICC

    • kikutwo@lemmy.world
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      13 hours ago

      No need, these days you just get a bunch of people in black and secret him away in a van.

  • dabailli@feddit.uk
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    9 hours ago

    I’m actually a little surprised that the fact he was an atrocious appointment took to as long to be proven!

    It’s also crazy to me that we’re still in the “could cost him his job” era

  • PunkRockSportsFan@fanaticus.social
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    14 hours ago

    Pretending like Putin didn’t order an insecure alcoholic wife beating racist to be secdef and the plan is going perfectly for him in America is weird

  • Gordon Calhoun@lemmy.world
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    13 hours ago

    Former major makes major blunder by signaling major incompetence on Signal, forcing former major to seek force majeure immunity.

    • partial_accumen@lemmy.world
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      12 hours ago

      Former major makes major blunder by signaling major incompetence on Signal, forcing former major to seek force majeure immunity.

      The general consensus is that the private information shared on Signal is a major problem that should probably lead to corporal punishment.

  • Optional@lemmy.world
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    13 hours ago

    What a weird fucking opinion piece (the linked Politico story, not the OP)

    Last week, a month after leaving my public affairs role, I respectfully declined the secretary’s generous offer for a new position and informed him of my decision to leave the department, wishing him all the best. I value his friendship and am grateful for his giving me the opportunity to serve. I salute his leadership in helping the president make America strong again.

    Yet even strong backers of the secretary like me must admit: The last month has been a full-blown meltdown at the Pentagon — and it’s becoming a real problem for the administration.

    “I love the guy like a brother, but what a complete fuck-up” sandwiched in with so much trump butt-licking it’s beyond gross.

  • NotSteve_@lemmy.ca
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    14 hours ago

    Not gunna lie, I’m feeling a bit better about any potential invasions of sovereign nations

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      12 hours ago

      "Signal group chat leaked that a bombing run of Vancouver is planned. Chat was leaked by Hesgeths mom, who didn’t know why she was added and just wanted to ask questions about when would be a good time to buy eggs.

      In response, Hesgeth blamed the media for reporting on things and stuff."

        • zaphodb2002@sh.itjust.works
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          13 hours ago

          I mean, that’s kinda what blitzkrieg was. Just give your mechanized units a bunch of meth and tell them to just push as far as they can as fast as they can with no coordination. Worked to take France.

      • ClanOfTheOcho@lemmy.world
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        13 hours ago

        “What do you mean this isn’t Greenland, Captain?! If it isn’t Greenland, then where are we? I mean, look at how green everything here is, it must be Greenland, right? Falkland Islands? What’s that??”

    • Sixty@sh.itjust.works
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      10 hours ago

      As Canadians, absolutely.

      Plus their behavior in regards to snubbing states during environmental disasters and gutting emergency response/aid relief would do wonders for any displaced angry guerilla Canadians in this hypothetical.*