Hegseth Missing in Action: Pentagon Chief Under Fire as Ukraine Talks Advance Without Him

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—widely viewed by insiders as in over his head—skips critical Ukraine diplomacy while Army Secretary Dan Driscoll leads high-stakes talks with Kyiv and Moscow.

WASHINGTON | Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is nowhere to be found during the most consequential peace push of the Russia-Ukraine war. And for the White House, that absence is not a problem—it is the plan.

While senior national security officials shuttle between Kyiv, Abu Dhabi, and Brussels to hash out the framework for a potential ceasefire, Hegseth—the nation’s top defense official—is largely sidelined, absorbed instead in culture-war theatrics, MAGA-targeted messaging, and political score-settling that critics say confirm he is not qualified for the job.

Multiple current and former defense officials tell 'TELL IT LIKE IT IS' Defense News that the Pentagon chief appears “in over his head,” “inept,” and “a political showpiece, not a defense secretary.” One called his tenure “a joke—dangerous at worst, embarrassing at best.”

And yet, this dynamic suits the Trump White House perfectly.

A NO-SHOW IN UKRAINE

The most glaring example came this month: Hegseth was completely absent as Army Secretary Dan Driscoll—a subordinate—led surprise negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv and later with Russian advisers in the United Arab Emirates.

Hegseth’s silence on Driscoll’s freelance diplomacy has been matched only by his conspicuous absence from the process.

Instead, he has focused on rallying Trump’s political base, cheering an inspector general investigation into Sen. Mark Kelly, and doubling down on his attacks on DEI programs—priorities that White House insiders say the president “loves.”

A SECRETARY OUT OF HIS DEPTH

Inside the Pentagon, frustration is mounting.

Officials describe Hegseth’s leadership as scripted, stilted, and ill-suited for fluid diplomatic negotiations, with one insider noting, “You can’t read from a script in a live negotiation—but that’s where he’s comfortable.”

His limited diplomatic skill set has left the administration relying on others to handle the most complex international crises, further underscoring his political, not strategic, role.

One former senior Pentagon official put it bluntly:

“He talks about grooming standards while Ukraine is burning.”

Even one of Hegseth’s defenders accidentally underscored the critique:

“He’s front-and-center on messaging because that’s what he’s good at,” said Alex Gray, a former Trump NSC official.

Messaging—not governing.

WHITE HOUSE: LOYALTY > COMPETENCE

Administration officials privately acknowledge that Hegseth’s job security is rooted in one attribute: unquestioning loyalty to Donald Trump.

“The president expects Pete to root out DEI,” a senior White House official said. “And he’s been successful at that.”

Another defense official put it more bluntly:

“Hegseth is tight with POTUS. That’s the whole story.”

This explains why the White House is unfazed by his absence from Ukraine negotiations—and why Driscoll has emerged as the quiet workhorse of the administration’s peace gambit.

SIGNALGATE STILL LOOMING

Hegseth’s position may not be stable for long.

The Pentagon inspector general is preparing to release findings from “Signalgate”—a damaging probe into whether Hegseth leaked classified details about U.S. strikes in Yemen into a Signal chat that accidentally included a journalist.

If the report implicates him further, Hegseth could face subpoenas, hearings, and public scrutiny should Democrats retake the House.

THE ADMINISTRATION’S TWO-TRACK DEFENSE POLICY

While Hegseth engages in political battles, Driscoll is quietly shaping diplomacy.

This week, Driscoll again pushed Kyiv and European allies to accept President Trump’s controversial peace framework, while special envoy Steve Witkoff prepares for a trip to Moscow.

White House officials say Driscoll was chosen because he was already headed to Ukraine for drone discussions—making him a convenient “plug-and-play” choice when a negotiator was needed quickly.

Behind the scenes, officials admit another reason:

Hegseth struggles in high-stakes negotiations.

“He freezes in fluid diplomatic exchanges,” one official said.

“That’s why Driscoll is doing this, not him.”

PENTAGON CULTURE WARS OVER POLICY

Even as the Ukraine crisis intensifies, Hegseth has focused on:

• Attacking DEI programs
• Engaging far-right influencers like Laura Loomer
• Curating a Pentagon press corps filled with conspiracy-leaning outlets
• Targeting political opponents online
• Cheering probes into critics like Sen. Mark Kelly

Meanwhile, internal reforms—like a new overhaul of U.S. foreign military sales—receive little attention from the secretary himself.

“He’d rather tweet about grooming standards,” said one former official.

A ROLE SHAPED BY POLITICS, NOT POLICY

For Trump allies, Hegseth’s value lies in messaging, loyalty, and enforcement—not strategy.

“The internal cleanup is enormous,” said Alex Gray. “He’s had to focus on messaging and communicating the president’s agenda.”

But with the Ukraine war hanging in the balance, global tensions flaring, and Russia escalating its hybrid operations, many inside the Pentagon question how long the U.S. can sustain a two-track system where the Defense Secretary is a political symbol, and the real work falls to others.

As one senior defense official summarized:

“Ukraine diplomacy is happening. The Defense Secretary just isn’t part of it.”

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-- By James W. Thomas and John James

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