Surprising break within Republican ranks, Congressman Don Bacon (R-Neb.) has called on former President Donald Trump to fire Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth — a move that underscores growing unease within the GOP over Hegseth’s leadership and judgment. According to Politico, Bacon warned that Hegseth’s actions are fueling the exact kind of instability Republicans feared when they reluctantly approved his appointment.
“If it’s true that he had another Signal chat with his family about the missions against the Houthis, it’s totally unacceptable,” said Bacon, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee. The app in question, Signal, is a commercially available messaging platform — and reports suggest Hegseth used it to discuss sensitive U.S. military operations in Yemen with his wife, brother, and personal attorney.
The New York Times was first to report the alleged breach, marking the second known instance of Trump officials using unsecured channels to share classified or sensitive information.
Bacon, who also leads the House subcommittee on cyber issues, didn’t hold back in questioning Hegseth’s qualifications: “I had concerns from the get-go because Pete Hegseth didn’t have a lot of experience. 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.”
Critics echo Bacon’s concerns, saying Hegseth was chosen more for his loyalty than his credentials. Though Hegseth served in the Army National Guard and deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan, he’s never managed an organization even remotely close to the size and complexity of the Department of Defense. His previous leadership experience includes running two veteran-focused nonprofits, both of which were found to have spent more money than they raised.
Former colleagues from his time at Fox News — where he was a weekend host — painted an even more troubling picture, alleging he often showed up on set hungover and reeking of alcohol.
Beyond questions of professionalism, Hegseth has drawn backlash for controversial policy positions. He’s dismissed the relevance of the Geneva Conventions, advocated for torture, and supported pardons for U.S. troops accused of war crimes.
But for Bacon, the issue cuts deepest when it comes to national security. “It looks like there’s a meltdown going on,” he said. “There’s a lot — a lot — of smoke coming out of the Pentagon, and I got to believe there’s some fire there somewhere.”
