Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appeared on “Fox News Sunday” and told host Shannon Bream that there is no secret “purge list” that he’s hiding in his desk drawer with the names of all the people he intends to fire. Rumors of a purge have been flying around furiously in D.C. over the last few days, setting off a tizzy of gossip and speculation.
But Hegseth says they’re not true:
“I gotta ask you about this rumored list of people that you allegedly put together that we’re [sic] all going to be cleaned out. Is there a list? Is there anybody left on the list if it exists?” “Fox News Sunday” host Shannon Bream asked Hegseth in an exclusive interview on Sunday morning.
“There’s no list, Shannon,” Hegseth responded. “I’ve heard that, seen that very rumor, although we have a very keen eye toward military leadership and their willingness to follow lawful orders.”
Republican lawmakers on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees said Thursday that they had heard about such a list of senior military officials facing the chopping block, but had not been presented anything.
That being said, there have been a number of firings—including the replacement of Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Air Force Gen. “CQ” Brown Jr. with Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine—and Hegseth warned that anyone who defies President Trump’s orders will soon be looking for a job. (Hegseth called Brown an “honorable man, [just] not the right man for the moment.”)
President Trump has given another set of lawful orders, and they will be followed. If they’re not followed – and all these orders are in keeping with the Constitution and norms inside the military — if they’re not followed, then those officers will find the door
…that’s not a tough calculation. We feel really good about the direction the Pentagon is headed under President Trump. We’re going to focus on war fighting and lethality and accountability and be the most transparent Pentagon that folks have seen in a long time, which is why I explain these things on a regular basis.
Watch:
DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH IS NOT PLAYING AROUND
“President Trump has given another set of lawful orders, and they will be followed. If they’re not followed—then those officers will find the door.” pic.twitter.com/4RWnLaq1iH
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 23, 2025
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Tensions have been running high as those who resist the Trump agenda are finding out there are consequences:
Concerns over an alleged list mounted on Friday when Hegseth was slated to travel to Guatanomo Bay in Cuba to hold a media availability, but the trip was postponed until later this week. Some officials viewed the postponement as a signal the firings would be imminent, Fox Digital reported.
The Trump administration on Friday did fire six Pentagon officials, including Air Force Gen. C.Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Adm. Lisa Franchetti, who was the first woman to serve as chief of naval operations.
Change isn’t coming—it’s already here. See the full Hegseth interview below:
WATCH: @SecDef Hegseth discusses sweeping changes at the Pentagon, including a major shakeup among top generals. pic.twitter.com/JrUrD9nsDi
— Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) February 23, 2025
