On December 3, 2025, Nicolle Wallace, the host of MS NOW, raised questions regarding Pete Hegseth’s role in the current administration during her segment “Deadline: White House.” She expressed concerns about the ongoing controversies surrounding Hegseth, including an incident in the Caribbean and the Pentagon Inspector General’s review of his usage of the Signal messaging app.
Wallace commented on Hegseth’s performance in a recent cabinet meeting with President Trump. She expressed apprehension regarding his statements about a military strike in the Caribbean, which has raised concerns about potential war crimes.
The military strike took place on September 2, 2025, targeting a suspected drug-smuggling boat. Reports suggest that Hegseth verbally ordered the elimination of everyone on the boat. Following the primary attack, a second strike was ordered, which resulted in the death of at least two survivors who were clinging to the wreckage.
Wallace pointed out the discrepancies in Hegseth’s accounts of the event. He originally claimed to have personally observed the strike, asserting that the boat’s occupants and their actions were known. However, he later stated during a Cabinet meeting that he had left after the first strike, thereby distancing himself from the responsibility of the subsequent attack.
Since September, President Trump’s administration has executed at least 22 boat strikes in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, which have resulted in a minimum of 83 casualties in operations against alleged narco-terrorists.
Wallace also touched on the communication practices of Hegseth, referring to the ongoing Pentagon investigation into his use of Signal, a commercial messaging app. She described this as a significant national security breach, facilitated by what she termed ‘sloppy and haphazard’ practices of Trump’s national security team.
According to the Pentagon’s investigation, Hegseth shared information about a planned military operation in Yemen that took place in March through the Signal app. The report suggests that this could have put mission operations and service personnel at risk.
The Inspector General’s report, released on December 3, stated that while the mission was not compromised, Hegseth did violate departmental policies by using Signal, an app that is not authorized for classified information sharing.
In the shared messages, Hegseth revealed details about targets, timing, and aircraft to at least two separate Signal groups. One of the groups included senior Trump officials and, inadvertently, Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic. The second group comprised his wife, brother, and personal lawyer.
Despite these findings, Wallace pointed out the inconsistent responses to Hegseth’s violations. She expressed that if any other personnel had engaged in such actions, they would likely face severe consequences, including possible discharge and criminal prosecution.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, however, referred to the Inspector General’s report as a ‘total exoneration’ of Hegseth, a statement that has been disputed by Wallace and others.
Hegseth, a former Fox News host and confirmed Secretary of Defense following a contentious Senate confirmation vote in January 2025, continues to face allegations of sexual misconduct, excessive drinking, and mismanagement of veterans’ organizations.
Wallace concluded her segment by questioning President Trump’s tolerance for the ongoing controversies involving Hegseth. She expressed that the recent scandals not only reflect poorly on the military and the nation it serves but also on its commander-in-chief, President Trump.
Despite the controversies, the White House continues to support Hegseth, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stating that ‘President Trump stands by Secretary Hegseth.’
Congressional investigations into both the boat strikes and Signal communications are currently ongoing, with lawmakers from both parties demanding transparency and accountability.
“Deadline: White House” is broadcasted on weekdays at 4 p.m. ET on MS NOW, featuring regular political analysis and commentary on current events by Nicolle Wallace.