Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has become increasingly emboldened following the dismissal of several high-ranking military officials as he moves to consolidate authority at the Pentagon, according to a report from The Washington Post. The firing of Navy Secretary John Phelan and Army Chief of Staff General Randy George is part of Hegseth's broader effort to centralize control, leaving him more confident than ever in his position despite earlier turbulence.
Hegseth's consolidation efforts
According to the report, Hegseth's actions have shifted power from uniformed military leaders to political appointees. One official stated, "All the power has been taken away from the uniforms and 100 percent gone to the political appointees." Phelan was removed on April 22 after voicing concerns to lawmakers about what he described as a "land grab" by Hegseth and Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, particularly regarding Navy shipbuilding and submarine procurement.
Word of Phelan's private protests reached Hegseth quickly, and he and Feinberg presented a case for Phelan's removal to President Donald Trump, who approved the decision. A person with direct knowledge of the dismissal told The Post that the move was orchestrated within minutes of the leadership becoming aware of Phelan's criticisms. The Independent has contacted the Pentagon and the White House for comment.
White House support
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell praised Hegseth for focusing on executing Trump's America First agenda without hesitation, stating, "From day one, he has moved decisively to restore the warrior ethos, remove DEI ideology from the military, and refocus the force on lethality and combat readiness." White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly noted that the president appreciates Hegseth's focus on readiness and lethality, citing operations in Iran and Venezuela as successes. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, who reportedly had concerns about Hegseth, praised him for bringing "clarity, strength and leadership" to the Pentagon.
This support comes after Hegseth remained defiant during nine hours of congressional testimony this week, refusing to elaborate on high-level personnel decisions and facing backlash for calling questioning lawmakers "reckless, feckless and defeatist."
Hegseth's turnaround
Phelan's exit marks a significant turnaround for Hegseth, who earlier faced a security investigation known as "Signalgate" and was speculated to be the first Cabinet member replaced. Instead, he has outlasted several colleagues, including former Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. An administration official compared the status of Cabinet members to "that of a grizzly bear chasing a group of hikers," adding, "As long as you don't run the slowest, you're safe. And Pete is not the slowest right now."
