The White House is scrambling to deny an exclusive NPR report that revealed the Trump administration is seeking to replace U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth after a second Signal chat scandal broke over the weekend.
On Sunday, the New York Times revealed the Department of Defense head shared detailed information about an imminent strike in Yemen with a Signal group chat that included his wife, brother and lawyer. It allegedly occurred the same day Hegseth sent similar information to a group chat with a journalist from The Atlantic.
Despite President Donald Trump himself defending Hegseth during an event at the White House Monday morning, an unnamed U.S. official disclosed his administration is in the process of looking for a new defense leader. Although NPR released no additional details, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was quick to deny the allegation.
"This @NPR story is total FAKE NEWS based on one anonymous source who clearly has no idea what they are talking about. As the President said this morning, he stands strongly behind @SecDef," she wrote on X.
But social media users were not convinced, with many branding the White House a "clown show" for denying the report.
"You clowns have an allergy to competence or something. What a circus," one X user wrote.
You clowns have an allergy to competence or something. What a circus.
— Мартін (@ChrmnMAO69) April 21, 2025
X users were convinced the report was true after @RapidResponse47, an official X account supporting Trump's "America First agenda and holding the Fake News accountable," retweeted the report.
"Yet the WH is denying it," @ArtCandee posted. "Clown. Show."
Yet the WH is denying it.
— Art Candee 🍿🥤 (@ArtCandee) April 21, 2025
Clown. Show.
@RapidResponse47 then wrote in a follow up tweet that the report was wrong
"Fake news!" it added.
Well-oiled machine! pic.twitter.com/9GegjQFq5p
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 21, 2025
Most corners of the internet, however, remained skeptical.
"I can't wait to see how you spin this when he resigns," an X user commented in response to a post from Leavitt denying the report.
I can’t wait to see how you spin this when he resigns
— Agent Self FBI (@RetroAgent12) April 21, 2025
"Pretty funny that the press sec thinks journalists print single-sourced anonymous news," X user @Gridlock wrote.
Pretty funny that the press sec thinks journalists print single-sourced anonymous news https://t.co/0fgMtIlQVF
— Ben (@Gridlock) April 21, 2025
"This tweet won't age well," a third added.
This tweet won’t age well. https://t.co/xu9one9Fe2
— Angry Staffer (@Angry_Staffer) April 21, 2025
Hegseth's White House tenure has been mired in controversy since he was confirmed by Vice President JD Vance's tie-breaking vote. As of Monday, at least one Republican official is publicly turning his back on the Trump-appointed leader.
"I had concerns from the get-go because Pete Hegseth didn't have a lot of experience," Illinois Rep. Don Bacon told Politico. "I like him on Fox. But does he have the experience to lead one of the largest organizations in the world? That's a concern," he added.
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