'Totally Unacceptable': Republican Congressman Demands Trump Fire Hegseth

GOP Lawmaker Urges Removal of Defense Secretary Hegseth

In an unusual display of Republican internal criticism, Representative Don Bacon (R-Neb.) has publicly suggested that President Donald Trump should remove Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth from office, pointing to what he calls "totally unacceptable" behavior, according to Politico. Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bacon: “It’s Totally Unacceptable”

"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, who serves as a key Republican on the House Armed Services Committee. "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." Jack Gruber-USA TODAY

Report Alleges Hegseth Shared Sensitive Intel via Signal App

Bacon's comments reference a New York Times report alleging that Hegseth shared sensitive information regarding military operations in Yemen through the Signal messaging app with family members and his personal attorney. This marks the second instance of Trump administration officials reportedly using unsecured platforms for sensitive communications. Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bacon Questions Hegseth’s Qualifications

Bacon stated, "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." Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK

Progressive Think Tank Calls Hegseth Nomination 'Loyalty Over Competence'

In a piece published by the Center for American Progress, authors Allison McManus, Dan Herman, and Laura Kilbury criticize Pete Hegseth’s potential nomination as secretary of defense, writing that he “lacks the credibility and experience required to lead a massive entity as the Department of Defense,” and that his confirmation “is a pick for loyalty over competence.” U.S. Secretary of Defense / Wikimedia

Critics Highlight Limited Management Experience in Hegseth’s Record

While Hegseth served in the Army National Guard from 2002 to 2021 with deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, his management experience is limited to small nonprofit organizations that reportedly faced financial difficulties under his leadership. Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia

Audits Show Deficits Under Hegseth’s Nonprofit Leadership

During his tenure at Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America between 2008 and 2016, audits found that both organizations operated at a deficit, spending more than they raised, according to CBS News. Pixabay / Pexels

Margaret Hoover Criticizes Hegseth’s Leadership at Vets for Freedom

In an interview with CNN, "Firing Line" host and former Vets for Freedom adviser Margaret Hoover criticized Pete Hegseth’s past leadership of the organization, saying he managed it “very poorly.”

“I don’t know how he’s going to run an organization with an $857 billion budget, and 3 million individuals, based on what I saw in those years,” she said. Charles Bogel / Wikimedia

Former Fox News Colleagues Report Conduct Concerns

Former colleagues at Fox News have also raised concerns about Hegseth's professional conduct, according to NBC News. Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia

Bacon: “It Looks Like There’s a Meltdown Going On”

“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,” Bacon said. The White House / Wikimedia