Pressure is mounting on US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth as a senior Republican lawmaker has declared his credibility 'ruined' following a series of controversies. The criticism centres on the so-called Signalgate affair, his stance on Ukraine, and his handling of the Pentagon press corps.
Signalgate fallout and security breaches
Republican Representative Don Bacon, a retired US Air Force brigadier general, delivered a scathing assessment of Hegseth's tenure. He specifically cited the Signalgate incident, where The Atlantic editor was inadvertently added to a Signal group chat involving Hegseth and other senior Trump administration figures discussing a potential military strike in Yemen.
Bacon dismissed the administration's claim that an Inspector General's report had exonerated Hegseth, calling it 'total baloney'. While the report concluded Hegseth did not share classified information—as defence secretary he holds declassification authority—it found he violated security protocols by sharing highly sensitive information on an unsecured platform, potentially endangering US troops.
'After Signalgate, I've seen enough,' Bacon stated during an interview on C-SPAN's Ceasefire programme, set to air on Friday 5 December 2025. 'What I really wanted to see was someone take responsibility, own up to a mistake. And when he blamed the media... it ruined his credibility.'
A pattern of 'poor decision-making'
Bacon expanded his critique beyond Signalgate, accusing Hegseth of a record of poor judgement. He highlighted the Defence Secretary's removal of legacy journalists from the Pentagon's press pool by implementing new rules many outlets found ethically problematic. Bacon claimed these journalists were replaced with 'second-rate' alternatives.
Another key point of contention is Hegseth's position on Ukraine's potential NATO membership. Earlier this year, Hegseth stated the US does not support Ukraine joining the alliance, a stance Bacon labelled a disappointment.
Mounting pressure and lethal strikes
These criticisms emerge as Hegseth faces growing scrutiny from lawmakers over other contentious actions. There are new concerns regarding the Pentagon's lethal boat strikes against alleged drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean, which have resulted in over 80 deaths.
While Bacon said he was 'troubled' by reports of these strikes, he clarified that he does not believe Hegseth issued a 'kill-all' order, as initially suggested by The Washington Post. Nonetheless, the combination of these issues presents a significant challenge to Hegseth's leadership.
Bacon's vocal dissent is notable, marking him as more critical of the Defence Secretary's leadership than many of his Republican colleagues. His comments signal potential fractures in political support for Hegseth as these controversies continue to unfold.
