Donald Trump hinted at the possibility of keeping US Defense Secretary Pita Gheset in office, which once again cast doubt on the stability of the country’s top military leadership
In his latest comment, the US president expressed confidence that the defense chief would be able to overcome current difficulties and pull himself together, implying the possibility of his retention in the position even after numerous scandals and internal conflicts within the department. According to information from "European Truth," provided by Bloomberg, Trump confirmed that he recently spoke with Gheset and reserves the right to give him another chance. "I think he can pull himself together. I spoke with him — the conversation was positive but very serious," the president emphasized. White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt on Monday, April 28, stressed that Trump is literally "completely confident" in the Defense Secretary’s ability to manage the defense department. She added that this is precisely why the president supported Gheset's candidacy, and why the Senate approved his appointment either unanimously or almost unanimously. Such support indicates a high level of trust in the minister among the upper echelons of power. At the same time, the White House denied rumors of Gheset’s possible dismissal in the near future, despite a new scandal involving reports related to a leak of confidential data. The latest reports associate this incident with growing tension within Gheset's team and his internal conflicts. As previously reported, Reuters stated that Defense Secretary Gheset discussed in a closed Signal chat in March this year the details of an operation against Yemeni Houthis. The chat included his wife, brother, and personal lawyer. This situation sparked a wave of criticism from experts and politicians, as sharing and discussing secret data in closed messaging apps raised questions about the security and professionalism of one of the key defense officials. Additionally, NBC News reported that Gheset's unpredictable behavior has increased in recent times as he fights to keep his position. Internal conflicts and reports about his conduct have begun to raise concerns about his stability and ability to manage the ministry during this critical period. Leading analysts emphasize that internal tension at the top of the Defense Ministry and new scandals heighten the risk of his resignation, although no official statements have been made on this matter so far. Experts assess that the situation surrounding Gheset has become one of the main challenges for the Trump administration in the fields of military policy and US security. Whether internal conflicts and scandals will lead to his resignation remains a matter of time, while the president continues to demonstrate intentions to keep the defense head in office, giving him another chance to "get his act together" and prove his ability to lead the country’s defense sector during this turbulent period.