Ten months into his tenure as defense secretary, Pete Hegseth has become increasingly controversial. From "Signalgate" to the Caribbean boat strikes, here's how the defense chief is hanging on amid deepening scrutiny.

Washington

Pete Hegseth, a former television host with limited management experience, was confirmed as US Defense Secretary by a narrow margin in the Senate amid allegations of sexual misconduct and workplace drinking. Shortly after taking office, he became embroiled in 'Signalgate,' a scandal involving leaked discussions about military action in Yemen, which he addressed by attacking the media and denying wrongdoing.

Hegseth's tenure has included a purge of senior military leaders, alignment with President Trump's policies, and support for renaming the Department of Defense. He also faced criticism for authorizing military strikes on alleged drug-running boats in the Caribbean, with legal experts and lawmakers raising concerns about potential war crimes. Despite these controversies, Hegseth has remained in his position, reflecting the unconventional nature of the administration.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rallies amid scandals

A television host with little experience in management, suddenly in charge of millions of employees and the world's biggest military budget. For Pete Hegseth, it's been a bumpy ride. His confirmation hearings in the Senate were contentious. Democrats called Hegseth out for his lack of experience and allegations of sexual assault and drinking in the workplace. Hegseth was confirmed by a razor-thin margin in the Republican-controlled Senate. Shortly after taking office, he found himself in a major scandal. I'm Pete Hegseth. I'm Pete Hegseth. Signalgate was the nickname given to a leaked text chat where Hegseth and other senior administration officials discussed a strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen. The chat was accidentally shared with a journalist, a shocking lapse in operational security. Hegseth responded to the outcry by deflecting blame and lashing out. You're talking about a deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist who's made a profession of peddling hoaxes time and time again. Nobody was texting war plans. Loyalty to President Donald Trump seemed to save Hegseth's skin. He aligned himself with Trump's attacks on so-called wokeness, insulted the media, and allowed no daylight between himself and the boss. And he enthusiastically promoted Trump's decision to change the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War. We're going to go on offense, not just on defense. Maximum lethality, not tepid legality. Violent effect, not politically correct. We're going to raise up warriors, not just defenders. Hegseth put this into effect with a Pentagon purge, firing senior officers, including the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the first woman to command the Navy. He summoned hundreds of generals from around the world to listen to a speech on the department's new outlook. For too long, we've promoted too many uniformed leaders for the wrong reasons. Based on their race, based on gender quotas, based on historic so-called firsts, we became the woke department. But not anymore. The next scandal wasn't long in coming. The alleged drug-running boats targeted by the U.S. military in the Caribbean Sea. Legal experts condemned the use of military force against criminals rather than an enemy threat. Some said the attacks could be war crimes. Democrats and a few Republicans demanded investigations, with senior Republicans refusing to vouch for Hegseth. Hegseth was again defiant. The American people are safer because narco-terrorists know you can't bring drugs into the water and eventually on land if necessary. To the American people, we will eliminate that threat, and we're proud to do it. These scandals would have been more than enough to sink a normal cabinet member when Trump's approval ratings are low. But normal is not a word many people would use to describe the administration Hegseth works for.

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