"The inspector general report revealed that Hegseth shared sensitive operational timelines for Yemen airstrikes in unsecured Signal chats, including one with his family and personal lawyer. When investigators attempted to interview him, he refused. Most defense secretaries treat classification protocols as the backbone of national security; Hegseth treats them like vibes. This isn't simple carelessness. It's a deliberate preference for loyalty-based side channels over institutional processes. He's building a parallel culture of command that runs not on structure, but on familiarity."
"Hegseth isn't enduring chaos despite his conduct. He is thriving because of it. And in any other administration, a single scandal of this magnitude would trigger immediate calls for resignation. A breach, a lie, a reckless commentpick one. But President Donald Trump isn't troubled by Hegseth's ineptitude; he's energized by the spectacle of it. He values ratings over standards, controversy over competence."
Longstanding Pentagon accountability norms have eroded as Pete Hegseth remains secretary despite a week of scandals, including an inspector general finding and operational-security lapses. Hegseth shared sensitive Yemen airstrike timelines in unsecured Signal chats, refused investigators' interviews, and cultivated loyalty-based side channels over institutional processes. The period also featured a shifting narrative about a lethal double-tap strike in the Caribbean, a public threat to court-martial a sitting senator, and a cartoon meme of Franklin firing rockets. President Donald Trump rewards spectacle and controversy, allowing a parallel culture of command that prioritizes familiarity and ratings over standards and structure.
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