The instability Hegseth is accused of bringing to the Pentagon is also said to be a factor in his failure to inform the White House that he’d stopped Ukraine’s arms shipment: He has no chief of staff, is having a hard time finding one, and lacks senior advisers who might have been able to prevent the fiasco.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly didn’t tell President Trump or seek his permission before ordering a pause in shipments of arms to embattled Ukraine last week. Trump was unhappy and frustrated to find out about the Pentagon chief’s controversial decision,