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When Pete Hegseth’s Tenure Started Going Sideways

June 5, 2025 · 1:00 pm ET · Leave a Comment

The Atlantic: “Things were going fine for Pete Hegseth, right up until a chance encounter with the world’s richest man. His pursuit of Donald Trump’s agenda at the Pentagon had made him a star among the president’s advisers. The former Fox News host had moved swiftly to roll back diversity initiatives in the military and to expand U.S. troops’ role in halting immigration at the southern border. His willingness to challenge Republican orthodoxy on foreign policy and punch back at critics was seen as an asset as Trump began his second term.”

“But then, in mid-March, Hegseth bumped into Elon Musk in a White House hallway, and extended an ill-fated invitation to the tech titan for an exclusive military briefing.”

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Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.

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