Pentagon Reshuffles Staff as Hegseth's Chief of Staff Takes New Role
Staffing changes follow leak investigation and controversy over Yemen strike information
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's chief of staff Joe Kasper is transitioning to a new position at the Pentagon as a special government employee handling "special projects." This staffing change follows recent upheaval within the Department of Defense leadership team, where multiple top aides to Secretary Hegseth were dismissed last week. A senior defense official indicated that Hegseth expressed appreciation for Kasper's continued leadership and work advancing administration priorities.
The Pentagon experienced significant personnel changes last week when at least two officials—Hegseth's senior adviser Dan Caldwell and deputy chief of staff Dan Selnick—were fired during an ongoing leak investigation that Kasper had ordered. Additionally, Colin Carroll, deputy defense secretary chief of staff, was placed on administrative leave as part of the same probe. The three officials released a joint statement expressing disappointment about their dismissals and claiming they had not been informed about the specific nature of the investigation.
KEY POINTS
- •Hegseth's chief of staff reassigned
- •Multiple Pentagon aides fired last week
- •Controversy over Yemen strike info sharing
Further controversy emerged when reports indicated Secretary Hegseth had shared information about airstrikes in Yemen through Signal messaging app chats that included his wife, brother, and personal attorney. A separate incident involved Hegseth posting Yemen strike details in another Signal chat that inadvertently included The Atlantic's editor alongside administration officials. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell denied that any classified information was shared, while Hegseth characterized the reports as attacks from "disgruntled, former employees."
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