Here is the translated text:
I was worried from the start, as Pete Hegseth doesn't have much experience, says Nebraska Republican Bacon, who sits on the defense committee and has been a general in the air force, to Politico.
Don Bacon says it's not up to him to fire Hegseth, but emphasizes that he wouldn't have tolerated the defense minister's actions if he himself had been president:
If it's true that he had another chat with his family regarding the operation against the Houthi movement (in Yemen) it's completely unacceptable.
Journalist invited
On March 15, it was revealed that Hegseth and other high-ranking officials and politicians had used the Signal app to discuss attack plans against Yemen. The move received significant attention, both due to the security risk and because the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine was mistakenly invited to the chat.
Over the weekend, it emerged that the defense minister had discussed the air strike in another chat group on his private phone the same day. The group included, among others, his wife, brother, and personal lawyer, according to information from four anonymous sources to The New York Times.
Hegseth has denied that the information was classified, but according to NBC, he received it from an American general through a system for sensitive and classified information – and shared it on Signal minutes later.
"Russia and China are watching"
The use of a private phone and the commercial app Signal particularly catches the eye of Don Bacon.
Russia and China have access to his phone. Using it for (state) secrets is not right. He's acting like he's above the law and it shows that he's an amateur.
Even in the Senate, which barely approved Hegseth's appointment in January, Republicans are starting to turn, reports The Hill.
He's losing trust. It's one thing after another, says a Republican senator who doesn't want to give their name.
Another says that the party group is in a "wait-and-see" mode.
The senators are worried about what the media calls Signalgate, but also about reports of chaos at the Pentagon headquarters with leaks, resignations, and personal attacks.
Hegseth and the White House have dismissed the reports as "anonymous smearing" from disgruntled former employees and "fake news".
44-year-old Pete Hegseth has been a commentator and program host on Fox News since 2014. He has also been a national guardsman and served in Cuba and Iraq.
Politically, he has questioned women's role in combat and opposed a two-state solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
President Donald Trump's decision to appoint him as defense minister sparked sharp criticism. Among other things, he was accused of lacking experience, having alcohol problems, and sexual misconduct. Hegseth was investigated in 2017 for suspected sexual misconduct, but no charges were filed.
In the vote on him, the Senate, the chamber that approves ministerial appointments, was divided. There were even Republicans (Trump's party) who wanted to vote no. In the end, Vice President JD Vance cast the deciding vote and Hegseth was approved.
