GOP Rep. Don Bacon Again Slams Pete Hegseth, Claims He Has 'Ruined His Credibility'

Republican Rep. Don Bacon again slammed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, claiming that his recent decisions have "ruined his credibility."

Speaking to Politico's Dasha Burns, Bacon said that after the aftermath of the incident known as "Signalgate" and Hegseth's reaction to it he thinks he has "seen enough."

"What I really wanted to see was someone take responsibility. Own to a mistake," Bacon added. He was making reference to the fact that Hegseth claimed "total exoneration" following a review of the Pentagon's inspector general regarding the episode.

The investigation in question concluded that Hegseth disclosed sensitive operational information about U.S. airstrikes in Yemen using the encrypted messaging app Signal, raising concerns that he may have put American personnel and missions at risk.

In another interview, Bacon said Hegseth's claim was "total baloney." "I have better words for it, but you can't say it on TV. I read the report and what I saw what had happened was wrong, but the report makes clear that the secretary put sensitive information that would ordinarily be classified," he added.

The inspector general concluded that Hegseth has authority to declassify information but found no documented decision showing he had done so before posting details from a document labeled Secret/NOFORN, meaning it could not be shared with foreign nationals.

The report further states Hegseth should not have used Signal and that senior Defense Department officials require improved training on information-handling protocols, sources said.

Hegseth declined to be interviewed by investigators, instead submitting written responses. He claimed that his classification authority and operational judgment allowed him to share the information, and that his use of Signal did not violate preservation rules under the Federal Records Act, according to a source familiar with his view.

In another passage of the interview, Bacon said that if the information he shared on Signal "got to Yemen, it would have compromised the mission, and we could have put our pilots at risk,"

"And so the report was very clear on this, and what troubles me, instead of taking responsibilities, (saying) 'It was my fault,' I learned from it,' they used phrases like, 'We're totally exonerated,'" Bacon added.

Back in the interview with Burns, Bacon said that Hegseth's reaction "ruined his credibility." He noted that he had reservations when Hegseth was nominated by President Donald Trump, but wanted to give him a "fair chance" after he was confirmed.

"But what I've seen is what I call just poor decision-making," Bacon, who will retire at the end of his term in 2027, concluded.

• Another GOP Lawmaker Rejects Hegseth's Claim Of 'Total Exoneration' From Signalgate Report: 'Total Baloney'
• Republican Rep. Says Hegseth Should Resign If He Was Involved In Follow-On Attack Against Survivors Of Alleged Drug Vessel

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