New Reporting Suggests That Pete Hegseth Is Having Meltdowns Regularly

In a speech on Sept. 30, 2025, to many of the highest-ranking military officers in the country, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that changes would be coming to the department. These changes were in line with things that he had said previously, like that he wants the military to have a warrior mentality, and that he would be loosening certain accountability measures.

Even as he gave that speech, though, reports are also circulating that suggested that the defense secretary is having regular meltdowns at the office. Here's what we know about the reporting.

According to reporting from The Daily Mail, Hegseth has been described as "manic" by aids in the department, and has been erupting into fits of rage and tirades. Hegseth has reportedly always been a fairly tumultuous personality, but the reporting suggests that he has become increasingly obsessed with his own security in the days since Charlie Kirk's assassination and has started fidgeting and pacing during meetings.

“There’s a manic quality about him. Or let me rephrase, an even more manic quality, which is really saying something,” an insider said.

“Dude is crawling out of his skin,” another person added.

Sources also cited Hegseth's decision to call the meeting of top generals in Washington, D.C., although this report was released before Hegseth had actually addressed the commanders.

Hegseth has long faced allegations of being a tumultuous colleague. During his initial confirmation process, he was accused of abusing alcohol on and off the job, although he suggested that his alcohol use would stop if he were confirmed to the role of Secretary of Defense. Since taking on the job, he has executed a variety of large changes, including notably an attempt to change the name of the department he leads to the Department of War.

Even as reporting suggests that Hegseth has become a more volatile leader, Hegseth was also making headlines for addressing an assembly of America's top military leaders on Sept. 30, 2025. In his speech, Hegseth railed against leaders inside the organization who have turned it into the "woke department," and also promoted the department's new name, according to CBS News.

Hegseth also announced that he would be rolling out 10 directives involving physical fitness and new grooming requirements that would return troops to "the highest male standard" for combat. He railed against "fat" troops, and suggested that leaders should also be in peak physical condition.

"It's completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon and leading commands around the world. It's a bad look," he said.

President Trump was also in attendance, and addressed the assembled leaders after the secretary's remarks. His remarks were over an hour long, and touched on a wide assortment of topics, as tends to be the case. On the whole, both men left the assembled with a sense that they were hoping to make some changes, although many of them seemed to be largely aesthetic.