White House Blocks Hegseth’s Pentagon Chief of Staff Choice
Facing turmoil in Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon office, the White House intervened, rejecting Hegseth’s choice of Marine Col. Ricky Buria as chief of staff. Buria’s limited experience, involvement in office drama, and failure to pass a polygraph test during a leak investigation contributed to the White House’s decision. Instead, the White House will select its own candidate, a move deemed unusual but intended to protect Hegseth and stabilize the department. Hegseth will retain Buria as a senior advisor as part of a compromise. This intervention is significant, given the office’s role in key defense policy decisions and the department’s substantial budget.
John Q. Hosedrinker