1 month ago
2
President Donald Trump didn’t quite give embattled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth his full vote of confidence during an interview on Tuesday.
When asked by ABC’s Terry Moran if he had 100% confidence in Hegseth despite the Signal messaging scandal and other embarrassing reports, the president deflected.
“I don’t have a hundred percent confidence in anything, OK? Anything,” Trump said, calling it “a stupid question.”
Moran pushed back, saying it was an “important position,” but Trump wouldn’t budge.
“Only a liar would say, ‘I have a hundred percent confidence,’” Trump said. “I don’t have a hundred percent confidence that we’re gonna finish this interview.”
“We will,” Moran assured him.
Trump never did give Hegseth that full vote of confidence, but did offer some praise before his deflection.
“He’s a talented guy. He’s young. He’s smart, highly educated,” Trump said. “And I think he’s gonna be a very good defense, hopefully a great defense secretary, but he’ll be a very good defense secretary.”
Hegseth shared highly sensitive military information in a group chat on the Signal messaging app in which a journalist had been accidentally added. He reportedly shared intel in a second Signal group with his wife, brother and others. Hegseth also reportedly had an unsecured internet line set up in his office so he could use Signal on a personal computer there, according to the Associated Press.
We Won't Back Down
Your Support Fuels Our Mission
Your Support Fuels Our Mission
Donald Trump has been in office for 100 days. Our newsroom has stood strong — fearless, unflinching, and relentless in pursuit of the truth. And we're not stopping now. Would you support our mission during this critical time in our nation's history?
We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.
Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.
We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.
Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
We Won't Back Down
Donald Trump has been in office for 100 days. Our newsroom has stood strong — fearless, unflinching, and relentless in pursuit of the truth. And we're not stopping now. Would you support our mission during this critical time in our nation's history?
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
Moran asked Trump if he took Hegseth “to the woodshed” over those issues.
“I had a talk with him, and whatever I said I probably wouldn’t be inclined to tell you,” Trump said. “But we had a good talk.”
English (US) ·