Analysis: Pentagon in crisis — turmoil shakes US security architecture

The turmoil at the Pentagon under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has evolved into a crisis that threatens core elements of U.S. national security at a critical global moment.

At the center is “Signalgate”: Hegseth’s alleged use of the Signal app to share classified information, including flight schedules and strike plans, with unauthorized individuals that included his wife, brother and a legal adviser.

The breach has damaged confidence in internal safeguards and raised fears of espionage vulnerabilities.

Inside the Pentagon, concerns about leadership instability have emerged. The firing of top advisers and rumored polygraph testing appear to have created a climate of fear, undermined trust and may be disrupting decision-making. Strategic coherence is being challenged by internal suspicion.

Compounding the crisis, the President Donald Trump’s administration’s removal of senior military leaders has raised alarms about the politicization of the armed forces. The purge risks damaging the military’s traditional nonpartisan role and weakening civilian-military relations.

As the U.S. seeks to assert leadership on the world stage by juggling military operations in the Middle East, a global tariff war and high-stakes peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, critics claim the U.S. needs to get its own house in order.

Internationally, the leaks have frayed relationships with U.S. allies. Disparaging remarks and exposed secrets have triggered concerns about Washington’s reliability as a secure partner, potentially hampering future intelligence sharing and military cooperation.

Domestically, the fallout has been sharp. Bipartisan criticism and calls for Hegseth’s resignation are growing, deepening political divisions and raising broader concerns about the administration’s handling of national defense.

The Pentagon’s current crisis is not just a scandal — it represents a profound threat to U.S. military credibility. As investigations continue, the damage to internal cohesion, intelligence security and global trust will be difficult, if not impossible, to quickly repair.

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