Pete Hegseth may find a slot with his former workplace Fox News if Trump fires him after Signal debacle
WASHINGTON, DC: Pete Hegseth might not be in the most comfortable position among the Washington elite following the Signal group chat fiasco, but insiders are saying that all is not lost for Donald Trump administration’s defense secretary as his old workplace, Fox News, is "ready to welcome" him back.
After the Signal group chat debacle, which left questions about the nation’s security hanging, Hegseth is speculated to have found himself in a tight spot.
Though Trump and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt voiced their complete support for the 44-year-old former Army National Guard officer, all is not rosy for Hegseth, with speculations abounding that the White House has quietly started searching for his replacement.
However, amid the speculations, a source told Hollywood insider Rob Shuter that Hegseth has nothing to worry about as Fox is planning his grand comeback in case he gets sacked from his White House duties.
Fox News eager to rehire Pete Hegseth in case he is fired from his position
Upon learning the insider information, Shuter wrote on Substack that Pete Hegseth is “more famous now than when he left," Radar Online reported.
In case his stint with the White House goes awry, Fox is ready to rehire him and is even planning to offer him a major upgrade from his old weekend slot at ‘Fox and Friends Weekend’, which he co-hosted from 2017 to 2024.
Referencing Hegseth's high-profile position as the Secretary of Defense, Shuter wrote, "His name’s in the headlines, his brand is bigger, and his return would be ratings gold."
Though it has not yet been formally declared, an anonymous source reflected on the possibility of him getting replaced, saying, "The White House has begun the process of looking for a new Secretary of Defense.”
However, he apparently has nothing to worry about as the Fox execs are already planning his potential comeback, with a former Fox producer even saying, "He's still a hero to the MAGA base. Put him in primetime and watch the numbers skyrocket."
In fact, the chatter song the network’s top bosses is that if Hegseth is actually released, he would be given a prime spot with the network. "The calculus is simple. If Trump doesn’t want him in the Pentagon, he could have a far louder megaphone at Fox,” shared an executive for the network.
Donald Trump supports Pete Hegseth after Signal chat leak
Despite the speculations of Pete Hegseth’s removal from the Pentagon, he has one solid backing in the form of President Donald Trump.
Trump dismissed the concerns over the Signal leaks as a "waste of time," and added, "He's doing a great job — ask the Houthis how he's doing."
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt also took to X earlier this week to declare that the POTUS “stands strongly” behind him, as per Radar Online.
The Minnesota native clarified his stance about the Signal group chat leak among other gaffes, and denied any wrongdoing, saying, "This is what the media does, they take anonymous sources from disgruntled former employees, and then they try to slash and burn people, ruin their reputation. It's not going to work with me."
