Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is more focused on photo ops than leadership at the Pentagon, according to new reporting from Politico.
The piece cited a recent podcast appearance by Colin Carroll, who was fired from his position as chief of staff to the deputy Defense secretary during a Hegseth-ordered leak investigation.
Carroll told podcast host Megyn Kelly that Hegseth "was obsessed with the spread of leaks and spent half his time investigating them at the detriment of defense priorities," the report said.
“He was very focused on the leaks, and I think it kind of consumed the team a little bit,” said Carroll said. “If you look at a pie chart of the secretary’s day, at this point, 50 percent of it is probably a leak investigation."
Also read: 'This is our shot': Dems believe MTG's new job gives 'golden opportunity' to destroy GOP
Carroll claimed that Hegseth was consumed with dismantling perception that he was "undisciplined and a heavy drinker," as he was portrayed by opponents during his contentious confirmation hearings. Hegseth has firmly denied the accusations.
“In order to combat that image, it’s ‘hey, I’m gonna go work out with the troops,’” Carroll said. ”While that is important — and it’s a thing to do to get out there and helps recruiting and helps morale — if you’re taking a half day trip to the Naval Academy at the same time the budget is due, and we really need some support here … come on, you gotta weigh priorities.”
Carroll told a “tale of two Petes,” wrote reporters Paul McLeary and Jack Detsch: the first was "a straight-talking leader able to convince skeptical Republicans to boost higher defense spending;" while the second was "a Pentagon chief fixed on 'weird details' who could get 'very agitated' in internal meetings."
In an interview with The Atlantic, out Monday President Donald Trump continued to stand by Hegseth, a former Fox News host, even after his compounding Signalgate scandals.
“He’s gonna get it together,” Trump said. “I had a talk with him, a positive talk, but I had a talk with him.”