Trump Jr.: Former Hegseth aide who described 'chaos' now 'exiled' from MAGA movement

Donald Trump Jr. said Monday that the former Pentagon official who publicly detailed the department's “chaos” under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s leadership in a new op-ed is “officially exiled” from President Trump's political movement.

“This guy is not America First,” Trump Jr. wrote on social platform X. “I’ve been hearing for years that he works his ass off to subvert my father’s agenda. That ends today.”

“He’s officially exiled from our movement,” Trump Jr. added.

The president’s son was responding to a Politico Magazine op-ed Sunday from John Ullyot, who served as the acting assistant to Hegseth for public affairs before resigning last week. In the piece, Ullyot detailed the “total chaos at the Pentagon,” saying “the building is in disarray under Hegseth’s leadership” and that Trump deserves better from his senior leaders.

“President Donald Trump has a strong record of holding his top officials to account. Given that, it’s hard to see Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth remaining in his role for much longer,” Ullyot wrote.

He described himself as a strong backer of Hegseth, noting he pushed for the secretary’s confirmation in December, when it looked as if it might be in jeopardy.

He also touted the work they did together, including bringing more conservative media into the Pentagon press space and “ensuring the public understands Trump’s commitment to rebuilding our military after four years of drift under President Joe Biden and his Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.”

“Yet even strong backers of the secretary like me must admit: The last month has been a full-blown meltdown at the Pentagon — and it’s becoming a real problem for the administration.”

The Trump administration has stood by Hegseth, including in the face of reports that he shared sensitive military information in a second unsecured Signal chat, this one including his wife and brother. The second chat group, reported Sunday by The New York Times, comes close on the heels of the Signal controversy in which the Pentagon chief was one of several top-level Trump officials communicating in full view of the editor in chief of The Atlantic.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters earlier Monday that the president “absolutely has confidence” in Hegseth.

“I spoke to him about it this morning, and he stands strongly behind him,” Leavitt said.