The internal fights that continued in President Trump's first term re -emerged in his second, driven by disagreements with trade policy, national security, and personal loyalty.
Today's latest fights threatened to shake the Pentagon, in which Defense Secretary Pete HegSeth pushed the leading aids and faced the backlash in sharing the airstrike secret details outside of safe channels.
Apnews mentioned That Hegetth has removed some senior advisers in recent weeks. Last Tuesday, he went to Fox News and Sinisini Former assistants for information leaking and trying to “sabotage the president's agenda.”
A former Pentagon spokesman who resigned last week write Politico Mr. Trump must have burned Hegetth for the administration of a “full-blown meltdown.”
This quarrel has not been the main story of Mr. Trump's return to the White House. However, it shows that the chaos that shapes its first term remains intact.
Mr. Trump often rewards loyalty to experience, setting members of his team against each other and using their disagreements as action.
The national security group was decayed when Laura Laomer, a very far activist known for conspiracy theories, visited the Oval Office. Ms. Loomer some officers of disloyalty and recruited Mr. Trump who Fire They are.
In a interview Released on April 21, he said the White House was far from “a Big Happy Family.” “Counselors are not together with each other,” he said. “The leaders of the agencies are not together with each other.”
Trump's plan to change global trade balance brings conflict to his advisors
Tesla leader Elon Musk, whose companies could face higher costs, called trade advisors Peter Navarro “Dumber than a sack of bricks.” Mr. Navarro returns, saying that Mr. Musk protects “his own interest” and removes Tesla as a “car manager” dependent on overseas parts.
Navarro is truly a moron. What he says here is not good.
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 8, 2025
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt lowers these fights. He told reporters that there were “more examples of the President's team that worked hard and coexistent.” “The numbers and results of this administration speak for themselves,” he said. “The President and his team are doing.”
Mr. Trump has long been a mixture of conflicting views to keep people on their toes. He appreciates the lack of sanity as a tool in negotiations and chooses counselors known for aggression and devotion.
John Bolton, who served as the national security advisor in Mr. Trump's first term, said this style shows a lack of experience and uneven ideology.
“The only thing they have is the belief that they should show a personal fealty to Trump,” Mr. Bolton said. “That can keep them at work, but it has broken their seriousness.”
Despite the chaos, Mr. Trump and his allies closed ranks around Mr. Hegsetth
On April 21, Mr. Trump broke reports that the secretary joined a second chat group about Yemen's airstrikes, calling the stories “Fake News.” He told White House Easter Egg Roll reporters that Mr. Hegsetth was “doing a great job.” Leavitt He was defended In Fox News, Pentagon staff blames for the fight against “massive change.”
But criticism rises from within the department. John Ullyot, the former Pentagon spokesperson, said, “It is difficult to see defense secretary Pete Hegsetth left his role for longer.” He said, “Many of the secretary's own inner circle will applaud silently” if Mr. Hegsetth was fired.
Three other senior aides Dan Caldwell, Colin Carroll, and Darin Selnick, said they were forced in the midst of the “baseless attack on our character.”
Trade tensions also tried the administration's unity
Mr. Navarro insisted that there were no negotiations on the tariffs, but Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said taxation would improve at the hands of the White House business.
After slightly backing down Mr. Trump, Mr. Navarro and G. Musk sell more barbs. Leavitt shrugged -the chaos, saying “boys would be boys” and encouraged critics to remember the “most transparent administration in history.”
Ms. Ms. Loomer the pressure to other officers. Last week, he accused Mr. Bescent of bringing a “Trump Hater” in his financial reading effort. She is Na -Post In the X he planned to “personally tell President Trump and personally show him these receipts,” adding “shame” Mr. Bessent. Mr. Musk shared his post and called the development “disturbing.”
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