US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s chief of staff has stepped down. A senior defense official confirmed the news on Thursday. This marks the first major leadership change at the Pentagon under President Donald Trump.

Kasper Moves to a New Role

Although Joe Kasper left his current position, he will continue working in the government. He will now serve as a Special Government Employee (SGE) for special projects. The official stated, “Joe Kasper will continue to serve President Trump as a Special Government Employee (SGE) handling special projects at the Department of Defense.” Furthermore, the official added, “Secretary Hegseth is thankful for his continued leadership and work to advance the America First agenda.”

Tensions Grow Inside the Pentagon

Kasper’s departure follows a wave of recent exits. Just last week, the Pentagon fired three senior advisors. The dismissals happened during an investigation into leaked information. Reportedly, those advisors had clashed with Kasper.

In response, Darin Selnick, Dan Caldwell, and Colin Carroll issued a joint statement on social media. They said, “We still have not been told what exactly we were investigated for, if there is still an active investigation, or if there was even a real investigation of ’leaks’ to begin with.”

Former Spokesman Criticizes Hegseth

John Ullyot, Hegseth’s former press secretary, also spoke out. On Sunday, he published a strong opinion piece. He described “a month of total chaos at the Pentagon.” Moreover, he questioned Hegseth’s ability to keep his job.

Ullyot wrote, “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.”

A New Scandal Emerges

Now, Hegseth faces more trouble. Reports claim he used the encrypted app Signal to talk with his wife about US airstrikes in Yemen. Additionally, he reportedly shared strike details in another Signal group that accidentally included a journalist.

Despite this controversy, the White House continues to support him.