Kristi Noem and firings have sent a message of uncertainity across President Donald Trump’s administration. While reports about FBI Director being the next in line surfaced, it was revealed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is also concerned.
Pentagon shakeup
Amid the ongoing Iran conflict, Hegseth ordered a sweeping leadership shake-up, including the resignation of Army Chief of Staff Gen Randy George and the dismissal of other senior generals. The Pentagon offered little public explanation, stating only that ‘it was time for a leadership change’.
Read More:
Growing tensions with Dan Driscoll
At the center of the turmoil is Hegseth’s strained relationship with Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. The New York Post cited sources to report that the conflict has been building for months, with Driscoll widely viewed as a potential successor.
“[Hegseth] has got a big conflict with Driscoll. And he’s been told by the White House he can’t fire Driscoll, at least for the moment,” a source close to the Trump administration told the publication.
Read More:
Another insider suggested Hegseth’s actions are being driven by fear of losing his position. “[Hegseth] is very concerned about being fired and he knows that Driscoll is one of the top contenders, or a natural contender, to succeed him. So what Pete has been doing is taking anyone he perceives to be close with Driscoll and going after them. And this is the latest and most spectacular [example] of that.”
‘Paranoia’ after Signalgate
Several officials linked Hegseth’s recent decisions to lingering fallout from the 2025 ‘Signalgate’ controversy, in which a reporter was mistakenly added to a sensitive group chat involving national security officials.
“This is all driven by the insecurity and paranoia that Pete has developed since Signalgate. Unfortunately, it is stoked by some of his closest aides who should be trying to calm the waters,” an official told The Post.
Another source added that tensions escalated further when Driscoll was tapped for a role in Ukraine negotiations. “Pete got very paranoid about Driscoll talking behind his back to others in the military. The final straw for Pete was when Vance got Driscoll to go over to Ukraine to be the chief negotiator for that one meeting,” the source said.
“It’s really gotten under Hegseth’s skin. He’s trying to make everyone around [Driscoll] suffer for no reason.”
Internal fallout and timing concerns
The shake-up has also sparked concern about optics, especially following President Donald Trump’s recent public messaging on the Iran war.
“This undermines completely the tone and the message that the president wants to send that the war is going well,” one source said, referring to the timing of the dismissals.
Despite the turmoil, there is no immediate indication that Trump plans to remove either Hegseth or Driscoll.
Succession chatter and Sean Parnell’s name
Speculation is already swirling about potential replacements if further changes occur. Hegseth’s spokesperson, Sean Parnell, has emerged as a possible contender for Army secretary.
“It wouldn’t be out of line to speculate that Sean would be considered as a successor as he is one of the highest profile Army veterans serving at the top of [the] department right now,” one Pentagon official said.
An Army official echoed that view, adding: “it’s very normal to think that Sean Parnell has a shot to be the successor to Driscoll if Driscoll were to leave.”
However, some have pushed back on claims that Parnell is actively seeking the role. “Anyone claiming Sean’s pushing himself to be secretary of the Army is an obvious outsider spewing nonsense. Every senior leader in the department knows Sean is laser-focused on his current role.”
Parnell himself downplayed any friction between top officials, stating: “Secretary Hegseth maintains excellent working relationships with the secretaries of every military service branch, including Army Secretary Dan Driscoll.”
Ricky Buria controversy adds to pressure
Complicating matters further is controversy surrounding Hegseth’s top aide, Ricky Buria. According to multiple sources cited by the NY Post, Buria told colleagues that he and Hegseth disguised themselves to sneak out for drinks—claims widely believed within the administration to be false.
“My first impression of it was he was trying to figure out if I was going to tell other people. But then I come to find out a couple months later that he was running around telling people,” one source said.
Another added: “This did not happen. But nonetheless, he told people it happened.”
The alleged story has fueled internal frustration and speculation that Buria may have been attempting to identify potential leakers within the department.
