Overview

• The Independent and Metro, citing the Daily Mail and unnamed Pentagon staff, report that Secretary Pete Hegseth has acted "manic" and "crawling out of his skin" since Charlie Kirk was shot dead in Utah.
• Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell rejects the anonymous accounts of Hegseth’s behavior, calling the claims false.
• The Independent reports that the Daily Mail claims Army CID pulled agents to guard Hegseth’s homes in Minnesota, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C., a detail not confirmed by official sources.
• Reports say Hegseth ordered all officers above one-star rank to fly to Virginia for a meeting focused on "warrior ethos," drawing warnings from some commentators that travel could briefly weaken command coverage.
• Recent coverage revisits earlier revelations that Hegseth shared Yemen strike details in Signal chats, which triggered inspector general and leak investigations, even as the White House maintains support.