Pete Hegseth reveals Trump yelled at him in Oval Office: 'He sets the tone'

NORFOLK, VIRGINIA: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed that President Donald Trump recently scolded him during a visit to the Oval Office.

In an interview on Fox News on Sunday, Hegseth, who has rebranded himself as the "Secretary of War," said the president wasn’t pleased with him during their most recent meeting.

Pete Hegseth Calls President Donald Trump the 'Boss'

During the interview, a reporter from Fox News asked Pete Hegseth, "When was the last time someone yelled at you?"

The 45-year-old smiled and said, "The last time I was in the Oval Office."

He added, "President Trump’s the boss, he sets the tone. If you don’t get it done, he’ll let you know about it."

Hegseth did not specify what he had failed to accomplish

Hegseth was one of Trump’s most controversial cabinet appointments due to his lack of Pentagon experience, positions on women serving in the military, and alleged past alcoholism. He was narrowly confirmed by the Senate on January 24 after Vice President JD Vance broke a 50-50 tie.

Hegseth made headlines earlier this year over the initial Signal group chat leak involving senior administration officials discussing a Yemen attack, which inadvertently included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg.

Recently, Hegseth fired the Navy’s chief of staff, adding to a string of high-profile departures under his leadership. The department is also considering random polygraph tests to curb leaks, sources told The Washington Post.

Pete Hegseth Unveils Stricter Military Fitness Standards

On September 30, Hegseth gathered top military leaders in Quantico, Virginia, to announce a 10-point plan aimed at restoring strict physical standards and a merit-based culture.

President Trump supported Hegseth’s message, promising historic investments to strengthen the military.

Hegseth told senior officers that all service members must meet physical requirements twice a year. He criticized generals and admirals who fail to maintain fitness standards, calling it "a bad look."

"Today, at my direction, every member of the joint force, at every rank, is required to take a PT test twice a year, as well as meet height and weight requirements," Hegseth said.

He added, "It all starts with physical fitness and appearance. If the Secretary of War can do regular, hard PT, so can every member of our joint force."