‘Dyed-in-the-wool': Here's why MAGA continues to back Trump official despite controversies

Ailia Zehra
23 April
U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks in the Oval Office at the White House, in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 21, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

As Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth remains embroiled in a fresh controversy for sharing sensitive information in a group chat as well as his management of the Pentagon, President Donald Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement continues to back him.

According to a report published in The Hill Wednesday, Hegseth is considered "a dyed-in-the-wool Trump backer who is attuned to the president on culture war issues." He is seen as a "government outsider capable of enacting change." This is why MAGA voices have continued to support him despite calls for his resignation.

The Hill report quoted a Trump advisor, who was not named, as saying, “Much like Trump himself, Hegseth is viewed by the base as a genuine outsider and disrupter. Hegseth's time on Fox, where he spent years, is another reason why MAGA feels "a real connection" with him.

ALSO READ: 'Totally unacceptable': GOP congressman breaks ranks to publicly demand Trump fire Hegseth

The report notes that Hegseth's confirmation process was overshadowed by claims of sexual misconduct and excessive drinking at the outset.

However, as Hegseth's prospects seemed to be in jeopardy, prominent MAGA figures exerted pressure on GOP senators to support him. Influential voices like Vice President JD Vance, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, Donald Trump Jr., and conservative media ramped up their efforts in the face of criticism from lawmakers such as Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), the report adds.

This week, MAGA once more came to Hegseth’s defense. As he received criticism from a former high-ranking spokesperson and new revelations that he disclosed sensitive military plans in a Signal chat with his wife, brother, and attorney, Trump Jr. defended him.

The president's son rejected an opinion article by John Ullyot, who stepped down last week as a senior Pentagon spokesperson and cautioned about disorder arising from Hegseth’s leadership. Ullyot was “not America First," Trump Jr. said.

ALSO SAID: Pete Hegseth checks all the boxes

In a Fox News interview Tuesday, Hegseth said the administration takes "leakers very seriously," adding that those who are leaking information are doing so to sabotage President Donald Trump's agenda.

"Once a leaker, always a leaker, often a leaker. We look for leakers because we take it very seriously. And we will do the investigation," Hegseth said.

But the secretary did not directly address the latest reports about sensitive information being shared in a Signal chat that included his wife and personal lawyer. There have been calls for Hegseth's resignation following the controversy, and Tuesday's interview did not seem to clear the air.

ALSO READ: 'Hypocrisy doesn’t bother them': George Conway buries Hegseth over latest texting scandal

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