Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth framed recent Pentagon purges as the result of an investigation into leaks of top-secret military plans to the media, but that narrative has been challenged in an op-ed by one of the officials who resigned—John Ullyot—whom Donald Trump Jr. has labeled a “traitor.”
Ullyot, a longtime Trump ally who held multiple roles since the 2016 campaign, wrote in Politico that Hegseth’s explanation was a cover story meant to conceal the growing “disarray” within the Department of Defense. Ullyot submitted his resignation last week. “Hegseth’s team has developed a habit of spreading flat-out, easily debunked falsehoods anonymously about their colleagues on their way out the door,” he wrote in Politico. The op-ed was shared on X by Alex Burns, a senior editor with the outlet, and was quoted by Trump Jr.
“This guy is not America First. I’ve been hearing for years that he works his ass off to subvert my father’s agenda. That ends today. He’s officially exiled from our movement,” Don Jr. wrote on Monday morning.
This guy is not America First. I’ve been hearing for years that he works his ass off to subvert my father’s agenda. That ends today. He’s officially exiled from our movement. https://t.co/C2JnnIPt0y
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) April 21, 2025
The administration faces the risk of another media-fueled scandal under Hegseth, who on Sunday became the subject of two mainstream news reports alleging he had shared additional sensitive materials in group chats that included his wife, brother, and attorney. Donald Jr.’s sharp criticism highlights the seriousness with which the president’s inner circle is viewing the possibility of a new wave of stories about leaks from within the Pentagon.
Since Signalgate, the administration has faced challenges with leaks revealing a supposed plan to present Elon Musk with the nation’s potential response to a military attack by China, as well as infighting among senior officials in the department. Hegseth sought to address the allegations by firing Joe Kasper, his former chief of staff, and Dan Caldwell, one of his top advisors, for making “unauthorized disclosures” to the media. Additionally, Darin Selnick, the Pentagon’s deputy chief of staff, was suspended as part of the investigation and escorted out of the building, according to sources who spoke to Politico.
According to a report by Reuters, President Donald Trump continues to support U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Monday, following reports that Hegseth shared details of a March strike on Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militants in a group chat that included his wife, brother, and personal attorney.