MSNBC political contributor Steve Benen argued in a new article that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth "still hasn't gotten it together," despite President Donald Trump's assertion that he eventually would.
In April, Trump told The Atlantic, "I think he’s gonna get it together,” after editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg listed Hegseth's failings: "he’s fired three top advisers in recent weeks, he rotated out his chief of staff, he installed a makeup studio at the Pentagon, he put attack plans in two different Signal chats, including one with his wife and personal attorney."
Benen wrote that Trump's prediction might prove true in the future, "but the hapless Pentagon chief apparently hasn’t gotten it together just yet."
As evidence, Benen cited an NBC report saying, "The White House is looking for a new chief of staff and several senior advisers to support Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after a series of missteps that have shaken confidence in his leadership, but it has so far found no suitable takers."
Benen wrote that the "complexity of the challenge" of finding qualified people to work for Hegseth is that they must be "both MAGA friendly and willing to work with an unqualified and scandal-plagued television personality who was elevated to one of the world’s most difficult administrative positions."
"Finding people who check one of the boxes is easy; finding people who check all of the boxes is apparently not going well," Benen asserted.
The columnist also cited The Atlantic's latest report on the Department of Defense that “Hegseth oversees a workforce of more than 3 million, and a budget of close to $1 trillion, without a chief of staff. His shrunken circle of close aides lacks extensive Pentagon experience. Key military commanders are preparing to retire without replacements in sight. Sidelined aides have aired details of unseemly feuds at the department’s senior levels, and a series of unflattering media reports have fueled what numerous officials describe as Hegseth’s fixation on stopping leaks.”
As for Hegseth proving to Trump that he's gotten it together, Benen wrote, there may come a day, "but that day has not yet arrived."