More changes are underway at the Pentagon as its chief spokesperson, Sean Parnell, is reportedly expected to temporarily shift his responsibilities to a more direct role with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth while Hegseth's chief of staff, Joe Kasper, has been reassigned to another position.
Three officials told The Associated Press regarding the change in Parnell's role, and CBS News posted Monday on X that Kasper will become a Special Government Employee handling special projects at the Pentagon. It was previously reported that Kasper would be reassigned, but to which role wasn't specified.
The shifts are taking place amid an upheaval of Hegseth's inner circle over the past week. Senior adviser Dan Caldwell, deputy chief of staff Darin Selnick, and Colin Carroll, chief of staff to Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg, were placed on administrative leave following an investigation into leaks at the agency. All three were fired Friday, Politico reported, citing three people familiar with the matter.
Kasper in March requested an investigation into the leaks, which included military operational plans for the Panama Canal, a second aircraft carrier headed to the Red Sea, and a pause in the collection of intelligence for Ukraine. But some at the Pentagon also started to notice a rivalry between Kasper and the fired advisers.
"Joe didn't like those guys," a Pentagon official told Politico. "They all have different styles. They just didn't get along. It was a personality clash."
Former Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot announced he was resigning last week, unrelated to the leaks. The Pentagon said, however, that Ullyot was asked to resign, according to the AP.
A Pentagon spokesperson wrote in an email to Newsmax on Monday night that "we have no personnel announcements to make today."
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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