In a significant break from the party, Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska has become the first GOP lawmaker to publicly call for President Donald Trump to remove Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth from his position.
Bacon’s call comes amidst escalating concerns over Hegseth’s handling of sensitive military information.
Bacon, a retired Air Force brigadier general and chairman of the House Armed Services cyber-focused subcommittee, expressed his concerns to Politico, stating that Hegseth’s reported sharing of sensitive information about Houthi rebel attack plans with family members via the messaging app Signal was “totally unacceptable.” He also raised doubts about Hegseth’s ability to effectively lead the Pentagon.
“If it’s true that he had another [Signal] chat with his family, about the missions against the Houthis, it’s totally unacceptable,” Bacon 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.”
Bacon further emphasized the security risks involved, stating, “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. Russia and China are all over his phone, and 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.”
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The controversy stems from a New York Times report alleging that Hegseth shared sensitive military information with family members using Signal, an unclassified messaging platform. The Department of Defense (DOD) has vehemently denied these claims.
Senior DOD spokesperson Sean Parnell asserted on X that “There was no classified information in any Signal chat, no matter how many ways they try to write the story.”
President Trump has also publicly defended Hegseth, dismissing concerns about his handling of military information as a “waste of time.”
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Bacon’s criticism also extends to Hegseth’s recent decision to place three DOD advisors on leave, leading Bacon to tell Politico, “It looks like there’s a meltdown going on. There’s a lot — a lot — of smoke coming out of the Pentagon, and I got to believe there’s some fire there somewhere.”
Former Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot further fueled the controversy in an op-ed published by Politico, describing the Pentagon as being in a state of “total chaos” under Hegseth’s leadership. Hegseth, in response, dismissed Ullyot as one of several “disgruntled employees” attempting to damage his reputation.
Hegseth’s confirmation in January was already contentious, with Republican Sens. Mitch McConnell, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski opposing his nomination, citing concerns about his lack of experience. His confirmation was ultimately secured by a tie-breaking vote from Vice President JD Vance.
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Bacon, a moderate Republican representing a district won by Vice President Kamala Harris in 2020, has previously criticized the Trump administration for its handling of sensitive military data. His outspoken stance against Hegseth highlights a growing rift within the Republican party regarding the Defense Secretary’s leadership.
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