U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attends a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 18, 2025. REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon
President Donald Trump's White House rejected the Pentagon's choice to oversee the National Security Agency, a pick who had the support of embattled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to a report.
Hegseth has appeared to have fallen out of favor with Trump in recent weeks, with reports indicating he was sidelined and shut out from Trump’s inner circle from critical war planning, especially on Iran. Hegseth’s influence has diminished following "Signalgate," in which he reportedly leaked imminent attack plans in a group chat that mistakenly included a journalist.
On Friday, Politico reported that the Defense Department’s recommendation to nominate Army Lt. Gen. Richard Angle to head up the nation's top spy agency was met with a cold shoulder from the White House. Angle's recommendation had Hegseth's support, as well as fellow embattled Cabinet member Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's director of national intelligence, according to the report.
Politico noted it wasn't immediately clear why the White House rejected Angle, but his name has been withdrawn from consideration.