White House responds to NPR report on search for Hegseth replacement: 'FAKE NEWS'

The White House on Monday blasted an NPR report that a search was underway for a new Pentagon chief as "fake news" following new reporting about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of the Signal app and criticism from former Pentagon officials.

“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,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on social platform X.

The administration’s Rapid Response team also called the piece “wrong” and “fake news” on X. 

NPR, citing an anonymous U.S. official, reported that the White House had begun the process of looking for a replacement for Hegseth.

The development came after The New York Times reported Sunday that Hegseth shared information about planned strikes in Yemen in a private chat on Signal with his wife, his brother and his personal lawyer. 

“What a big surprise that a few leakers get fired and suddenly a bunch of hit pieces come out from the same media that peddled the Russia hoax,” Hegseth told reporters at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday, knocking the Times reporting.

“This is what the media does. They take anonymous sources from disgruntled former employees, and then they try to slash and burn people and ruin their reputations,” Hegseth continued.

President Trump on Monday also defended Hegseth, saying his Defense secretary is "doing a great job" and shrugging off the controversy as "fake news."

Additionally, Leavitt told reporters earlier Monday that the president “absolutely has confidence” in Hegseth.

Hegseth was already in hot water over his use of Signal after the editor in chief of The Atlantic last month shared that he was mistakenly added by national security adviser Mike Waltz to a group chat in which top administration officials, including Hegseth, discussed plans for military strikes on the Houthis.

The administration has stressed there was no classified information shared in either chat.

The Pentagon has seen several recent departures of top officials. And former Pentagon spokesperson John Ullyot, who resigned last week, singled out Hegseth in an op-ed published in Politico over the weekend, claiming that "the building is in disarray" under the Defense secretary's leadership.

Hegseth, a veteran and former Fox News host, was one of Trump's most controversial Cabinet picks. He was narrowly confirmed by the Senate to his post, with Vice President Vance breaking a tie to confirm him.

The Hill has requested comment from NPR regarding Leavitt's post.