White House looking to replace Pete Hegseth as defense secretary, official tells NPR

By Quil Lawrence,

Published April 22, 2025 at 6:54 AM EDT

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared sensitive military information last month in two Signal group chats. Now, a U.S. official tells NPR a search is underway to replace Hegseth.

Quil Lawrence

Quil Lawrence is a New York-based correspondent for NPR News, covering veterans' issues nationwide. He won a Robert F. Kennedy Award for his coverage of American veterans and a Gracie Award for coverage of female combat veterans. In 2019 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America honored Quil with its IAVA Salutes Award for Leadership in Journalism.

See stories by Quil Lawrence

Steve Inskeep

Steve Inskeep is a host of NPR's Morning Edition, as well as NPR's morning news podcast Up First.

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White House looking to replace Pete Hegseth as defense secretary, official tells NPR