Defiant and More Confident.. Hegseth Tightens His Grip on the Pentagon

Informed sources said that Secretary of the Navy John Whelan, before his sudden dismissal, sought to contact lawmakers on Capitol Hill, disturbed by what he considered a "power grab" by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and his deputy Steve Feinberg, the second most important political figure in the Pentagon.

According to the "Washington Post", in the days leading up to his sudden dismissal, Whelan had grievances he wanted to express.

The billionaire, a donor to President Donald Trump's campaign and a close friend, said Hegseth and Feinberg imposed strict control over submarine and ship construction decisions, effectively usurping the Navy's authority, according to these sources.

The echo of the private protest quickly reached Hegseth, who, in conjunction with Feinberg, presented arguments for the dismissal of the Secretary of the Navy, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Trump agreed, and on April 22, senior Pentagon officials announced the dismissal of one of Hegseth's few remaining political rivals within the department "with immediate effect".

One person familiar with the details of Whelan's dismissal, on condition of anonymity to be candid about internal Pentagon dynamics, said: "It only took three minutes for his expletives to reach senior management. They said: 'Okay, enough of this man'."

Hegseth's Standing

This incident, whose details have not been previously published, embodies Hegseth's standing as a rising and rebellious figure within the Trump administration, after his turbulent first year in office sparked widespread speculation that he might be the first secretary to be dismissed from his post.

People familiar with the matter reported that the Secretary of Defense is now more confident than ever in his job security, and appears to be immune to his early mistakes thanks to his unwavering loyalty and close personal relationship with Trump, his readiness to implement presidential directives with little discussion, and his firm military restructuring to eradicate "enlightened" ideas and policies.

Hegseth's standing rose despite the President's dismissal in recent weeks of three members of his administration - Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer - who were seen as political liabilities.

Some officials warned that the situation in the Trump administration could change quickly, and it is difficult to predict how long anyone will remain in their position.

One administration official described the current situation as like a grizzly bear chasing a group of hikers, saying: "As long as you're not the slowest, you're safe - and Pete is not the slowest right now".

A U.S. official said: "All power has been withdrawn from the uniformed military and gone entirely to political appointees".

People familiar with the conversation reported that Hegseth and other senior administration officials had considered dismissing Whelan since at least December, when they discussed the Secretary of the Navy's performance during a meeting at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in South Florida, but that did not happen for reasons that remain unclear.

At the time, Hegseth had suffered a political setback, as only a few days had passed since the release of a Department of Defense Inspector General report, which concluded that he "created an operational security risk" months earlier by revealing sensitive military plans in an unclassified group chat with other senior Trump administration officials.

"Signal Gate"

This incident, known as "Signal Gate," was a critical point for the former National Guard officer and Fox News personality, as it occurred at a time when he was struggling to establish himself in Washington amidst internal conflicts among political appointees in the Pentagon.

Trump alluded to these challenges in April 2025, saying he believed Hegseth would be able to "overcome them".

Observers say that since then, the President has responded positively to what he considers a series of military successes — in Latin America, the Middle East, and elsewhere — which have bolstered Hegseth's standing with the most important person.

Hegseth still faces criticism within the administration, as people familiar with the matter reported that some of Trump's close associates are tired of the Secretary of Defense's frequent personal disputes with colleagues, his self-promotion on social media, and his exaggerated statements about war with Iran.

Among those who have sometimes been frustrated with him, according to these sources, is Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.

A U.S. official familiar with internal discussions said: "There's a sense that his way of doing things causes more trouble for the White House and the Pentagon, and distracts from other tasks we're trying to achieve. The President will remain President, and he will continue to say and do things that cause chaos or controversy. That doesn't mean it's acceptable for others to act this way".