1 week Ago By Connor McCrory
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz pushed back on concerns over instability at the Pentagon following a wave of high-level resignations and mounting controversy surrounding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth . Appearing on Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Waltz addressed questions about the Defense Department’s readiness while navigating leadership turnover and internal unrest. Bartiromo opened the segment with a blunt assessment: “Can you do this in what appears to be a chaotic, weakened Defense Department?” She pointed to Hegseth’s recent moves to oust top aides, even those considered close allies, and his threats of polygraph testing to control leaks.
'My dad killed my rapist on live TV - but I wouldn't trade my life for anything' Joe Biden accused of photoshopping fail as he shares rare picture of family “Pete Hegseth, of course, our Defense Secretary, has been threatening polygraph tests. He’s been firing people who we thought were his allies,” Bartiromo said. “What is the state of affairs at the Defense Department right now?” Waltz defended the department’s direction, dismissing the narrative of disorder.
“Just 100 days ago, we were more worried about DEI and climate change nonsense,” he said. “Now we’re focused on lethality and winning. That’s been, in just over three months, the change.
” He insisted the administration is moving past the reported dysfunction: “This is a media narrative that we are going to power through,” Waltz said. Bartiromo wasn’t satisfied and pressed further: “How’s he going to replace all of those people so fast?” Waltz responded by highlighting the Pentagon’s size and deep bench of personnel. “Maria, there’s 20,000 people in the Pentagon,” he said.
“There is a record number amount of generals.” He framed the reshuffling as a necessary step toward accountability, pointing to a long-standing lack of consequences for underperformance. DON'T MISS.
.. Justin Baldoni releases unseen texts from Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni lawsuit sees major update involving her beau Blake Lively sued once again in ongoing It Ends With Us legal battle “We have had several general officers that weren’t getting the job done, and admirals get fired and get replaced — including our great new [Joint Chiefs] chairman, [Dan] Raisin’ Caine, who I just talked to last night,” Waltz said.
“That’s what that Pentagon needs. No one ever gets fired. There’s never a sense of accountability.
And now there is.” Despite recent headlines, Waltz stood firmly behind Hegseth’s leadership. “Whether it’s leaks, or not getting the job done, or failures in terms of procurement acquisition, now you have a leader that’s in charge,” he said.
“And I couldn’t be prouder of Pete Hegseth.”.
