Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was passed over as a U.S. delegation headed off to Ukraine to negotiate a peace plan — with one of JD Vance’s friends, who also serves in the Pentagon, going in his place in a key role.
That has led to questions about the future of the former Fox News personality.
According to a report from Politico, there is now speculation that Hegseth, who has his critics in the White House, could be on his way out.
As the Politico report notes, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who Trump calls his “drone guy,” took the lead in negotiations as Hegseth was left behind “sitting through White House meetings and firing angry missives at Democrats on social media,” according to the report.
Driscoll’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was described as “emblematic of the Army chief’s rising prominence in the administration,” as he becomes a chief spokesperson for Pentagon initiatives when speaking with reporters while Hegseth has been relegated to the ”less glamorous tasks of promoting acquisition reform and troop physical fitness,” after purging the Pentagon of most journalists.
With Politico labeling Driscoll a “rising star,” the report notes Hegseth has been bleeding support within Donald Trump’s administration.
One insider admitted, “There’s not a lot of trust in Hegseth to deliver these messages to key leaders. There is more trust in Dan to do that right now.”
“Dan’s relationship with JD certainly helped him get the job, but all of his success has been on the merits,” a White official admitted. “He’s just really good at the job.”
To his detriment, a large cloud appears to be lingering over Hegseth, who infuriated White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles over his controversial choice of Ricky Buria as chief of staff., the report stated.
“[White House chief of staff] Susie [Wiles] doesn’t distrust Pete,” the White House insider claimed. “She questions his judgment because of the Ricky thing.”
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