During a live segment on "Fox & Friends", host Brian Kilmeade mistakenly referred to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as the "former secretary" of defense, fueling further speculation about his embattled standing within the Trump administration.
"Here to set the record straight himself, former secretary—the current Secretary of State Pete Hegseth, former host right here of 'Fox & Friends,'" Kilmeade said Tuesday morning.
Kilmeade attempted to recover, calling Hegseth the "current secretary of state"—another incorrect title, as that role belongs to Marco Rubio.
Brian Kilmeade begins his interview this morning with Pete Hegseth by calling Pete the "former secretary" pic.twitter.com/K6SgGlnXPa
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 22, 2025
Kilmeade's on-air mislabeling came just moments before an interview in which Hegseth fiercely defended his record, according to the Daily Beast. In the interview, Hegseth doubled down on his stance against internal dissent, vowing to track down and possibly prosecute former staffers whom he accused of leaking damaging information to the press.
Hegseth, a former co-host of "Fox & Friends Weekend," was appointed Secretary of Defense by President Donald Trump in a controversial move criticized for Hegseth's lack of military command experience.
In recent weeks, he has come under fire for reportedly sharing sensitive military strike details via the encrypted but non-secure Signal messaging app, including with non-government individuals.
The slip-up on live television, though quickly corrected, added to the perception that Hegseth's grip on his role is weakening. Although Trump publicly defended Hegseth during the White House Easter Egg Roll, insiders suggest the president is weighing potential replacements.
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