By Charles Switzer
2:46am PDT, Apr 23, 2025
Rep. Don Bacon Calls for Trump to Fire Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
On Monday, April 21, Rep. Don Bacon, a former Air Force brigadier general, became the first sitting House Republican to suggest that President Donald Trump should fire Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the
New York Post reported.
This came in response to ongoing controversies, including the unauthorized disclosure of war plans.
Bacon, who has previously criticized Trump's handling of the war in Ukraine, voiced concerns over Hegseth's qualifications: "I had concerns from the get-go because Pete Hegseth didn't have a lot of experience," Bacon told
POLITICO. "I like him on Fox. But does he have the experience to lead one of the largest organizations in the world? That's a concern."
Here's what's happening.
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Controversy Over Unauthorized Disclosure of War Plans
Don Bacon's comments reference reports that Pete Hegseth shared details of a March 15 military strike against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
According to a report in
The New York Times, Hegseth sent this sensitive information to a Signal chat group that included his wife, his brother and his personal attorney.
This was not the first incident of unauthorized disclosure, as a similar controversy had arisen the previous month when editor-in-chief of
The Atlantic Jeffrey Goldberg was included in a Signal group chat detailing a planned attack.
Bacon's Strong Disapproval and Call for Accountability
Don Bacon did not mince words when discussing the situation: "If it's true that he had another [Signal] chat with his family, about the missions against the Houthis, it's totally unacceptable," he said.
"I'm not in the White House, and I'm not going to tell the White House how to manage this, but I find it unacceptable, and I wouldn't tolerate it if I was in charge," he continued.
Bacon's statement reportedly reflects his frustration with what he views as a disregard for national security protocols.
Pentagon's Response and Bacon's Criticism
In response to the report, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell insisted that "there was no classified information in any Signal chat."
But Don Bacon remained unconvinced.
"Russia and China put up thousands of people to monitor all these phone calls at the very top, and the No. 1 target besides the president… would be the secretary of defense," he said.
"For him to be putting secret stuff on his phone is not right. He's acting like he's above the law — and that shows an amateur person," Bacon added.
Despite the Pentagon's statement, Bacon's concerns highlight broader issues regarding the security risks of mishandling sensitive information.
White House's Support for Hegseth and Public Reaction
The White House has continued to publicly support Pete Hegseth, with President Donald Trump dismissing questions about the defense secretary's job status.
Speaking at the White House Easter Egg Roll, Trump said, "He's doing a great job," and then quipped, "Ask the Houthis how he's doing."
Hegseth also responded to the controversy, criticizing the media for spreading "hit pieces" based on anonymous sources: "What a big surprise that a few leakers get fired and suddenly a bunch of hit pieces come out from the same media that peddled the Russia hoax," he said. He then accused the media of attempting to "slash and burn people and ruin their reputations."
