Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

BumRushDaShow

(154,555 posts)
Mon Jun 9, 2025, 07:41 AM Jun 9

White House struggles to hire senior advisers to Pete Hegseth

Last edited Mon Jun 9, 2025, 02:08 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: NBC News

June 9, 2025, 5:00 AM EDT / Updated June 9, 2025, 11:42 AM EDT


WASHINGTON — 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, according to four current and former administration officials and a Republican congressional aide.

Top Defense Department jobs, including the defense secretary’s chief of staff, are normally considered prestigious and typically attract multiple qualified candidates. But at least three people have already turned down potential roles under Hegseth, according to a former U.S. official, the defense official and a person familiar with the matter.

Vice President JD Vance and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles have taken an active interest in finding ways to help Hegseth after he abruptly suspended two handpicked senior aides in April, accusing them of leaking classified information in a Fox News interview. Soon afterward, Hegseth announced the removal of his chief of staff on Fox News and a senior press aide resigned, writing later that Hegseth’s office was in “total chaos.” 

Vance and Wiles have been searching for candidates who could support Hegseth ever since, according to three current U.S. officials and a former U.S. official. So far, though, the administration has not had much luck identifying people who are either willing to work for Hegseth or who fit the bill politically. And the White House has rejected some people Hegseth wants to hire, while Hegseth has rejected some of the White House’s candidates. Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said, “The anonymous sources cited in this article have no idea what they’re talking about."

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/white-house-struggles-find-qualified-people-willing-work-pete-hegseth-rcna211602



Article updated.

Original article/headline -

White House struggles to find qualified people willing to work for Pete Hegseth

June 9, 2025, 5:00 AM EDT


WASHINGTON — 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, according to four current and former administration officials and a Republican congressional aide.

Top Defense Department jobs, including the defense secretary’s chief of staff, are normally considered prestigious and typically attract multiple qualified candidates. But at least three people have already turned down potential roles under Hegseth, according to a former U.S. official, the defense official and a person familiar with the matter.

Vice President JD Vance and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles have taken an active interest in finding ways to help Hegseth after he abruptly suspended two handpicked senior aides in April, accusing them of leaking classified information in a Fox News interview. Soon afterward, Hegseth announced the removal of his chief of staff on Fox News and a senior press aide resigned, writing later that Hegseth’s office was in “total chaos.” 

Vance and Wiles have been searching for candidates who could support Hegseth ever since, according to three current U.S. officials and a former U.S. official. So far, though, the administration has not had much luck identifying people who are either willing to work for Hegseth or who fit the bill politically. And the White House has rejected some people Hegseth wants to hire, while Hegseth has rejected some of the White House’s candidates. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
21 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
White House struggles to hire senior advisers to Pete Hegseth (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Jun 9 OP
Jack Daniels is available. Vinca Jun 9 #1
Since when do they care bamagal62 Jun 9 #2
Maybe qualified means the ability to limit his alcohol and keep his wife out of classified meetings. Lonestarblue Jun 9 #9
Jim Beam Katinfl Jun 9 #3
Maybe he should ask President Obama why he is having difficulties with staffing. taxi Jun 9 #4
Maybe ask old Grand Dad or Johnny Walker. Ray Bruns Jun 9 #5
INCOMPETENCE ushered in by loyalty pledges Captain Zero Jun 9 #7
I'll do it. Shipwack Jun 9 #6
Would YOU purposely go to work for a dumb, unqualified ahole? mwb970 Jun 9 #8
Pete Hegseth is the most qualified person there is IronLionZion Jun 9 #10
In other words, they haven't yet found anyone who is mwmisses4289 Jun 9 #11
The best way to "help" Hegseth is to tell him gently to resign Deminpenn Jun 9 #12
I'm sure there is vast bullpen to pull from over at Fox News Javaman Jun 9 #13
You know, an incompetent military works for me right now. ananda Jun 9 #14
Sam Adams Mawspam2 Jun 9 #15
Bud Light Kid Berwyn Jun 9 #16
I mean, he's a rapist and a drunk, so... Prairie Gates Jun 9 #17
There's only one qualification that matters. The ranks of true believers must be thinning. Marcuse Jun 9 #18
That is NOT a new problem in all agencies for this administration NotHardly Jun 9 #19
NBC has neutered the headline at link: White House struggles to hire senior advisers to Pete Hegseth Eugene Jun 9 #20
To be fair, Hedgepeth(whatever) is not qualified, so, what's the problem? NotHardly Jun 9 #21

Lonestarblue

(12,669 posts)
9. Maybe qualified means the ability to limit his alcohol and keep his wife out of classified meetings.
Mon Jun 9, 2025, 08:23 AM
Jun 9

Glorified baby sitter.

taxi

(2,343 posts)
4. Maybe he should ask President Obama why he is having difficulties with staffing.
Mon Jun 9, 2025, 07:58 AM
Jun 9
Obama, July 13: There are a lot of wealthy, successful Americans who agree with me — because they want to give something back. They know they didn’t — look, if you’ve been successful, you didn’t get there on your own. You didn’t get there on your own. I’m always struck by people who think, well, it must be because I was just so smart. There are a lot of smart people out there. It must be because I worked harder than everybody else. Let me tell you something — there are a whole bunch of hardworking people out there. (Applause.)

If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen. The Internet didn’t get invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet.

The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together. There are some things, just like fighting fires, we don’t do on our own. I mean, imagine if everybody had their own fire service. That would be a hard way to organize fighting fires.

So we say to ourselves, ever since the founding of this country, you know what, there are some things we do better together. That’s how we funded the GI Bill. That’s how we created the middle class. That’s how we built the Golden Gate Bridge or the Hoover Dam. That’s how we invented the Internet. That’s how we sent a man to the moon. We rise or fall together as one nation and as one people, and that’s the reason I’m running for President — because I still believe in that idea. You’re not on your own, we’re in this together.

https://www.factcheck.org/2012/07/you-didnt-build-that-uncut-and-unedited/

Mea culpa.
Hegseth doesn't need help fulfilling his role in that position any more than he needs to support his staff. He can do it all. It shouldn't be a problem for him.

Captain Zero

(7,971 posts)
7. INCOMPETENCE ushered in by loyalty pledges
Mon Jun 9, 2025, 08:17 AM
Jun 9

Corruption is next.
That's the order of things
loyalty ushers in incompetence and incompetence breeds corruption.

Shipwack

(2,732 posts)
6. I'll do it.
Mon Jun 9, 2025, 08:14 AM
Jun 9

I desperately need the cash and even if I’m fired after a week it’ll let me catch up on bills. I’m better qualified than he is because at least I know I know nothing… 😉

It’lll be fun. I doubt he’s ever had to deal with a submariner…

IronLionZion

(49,174 posts)
10. Pete Hegseth is the most qualified person there is
Mon Jun 9, 2025, 08:28 AM
Jun 9

no one else can compare.

DUI vs DEI in this administration.

Qualified people don't want to be a part of this shit show and have their names in the history books. One day they may be held accountable.

mwmisses4289

(1,285 posts)
11. In other words, they haven't yet found anyone who is
Mon Jun 9, 2025, 08:44 AM
Jun 9

willing to be sufficiently loyal to trump above hegseth. hegseth wants loyalty to him, trump wants the military to be loyal him above all else. Wonder how many days it will be before hegseth is encouraged to "resign"?

Deminpenn

(16,828 posts)
12. The best way to "help" Hegseth is to tell him gently to resign
Mon Jun 9, 2025, 08:51 AM
Jun 9

Of course there's always sending him duck hunting with Dick Cheney.

NotHardly

(2,108 posts)
19. That is NOT a new problem in all agencies for this administration
Mon Jun 9, 2025, 01:43 PM
Jun 9
There are only so many idiots in the US willing to be facist arsewipes.
Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»White House struggles to ...