Overview

• The White House has blocked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s attempt to appoint Ricky Buria as his permanent chief of staff, citing past criticisms of Donald Trump and JD Vance.
• Buria, a Biden administration holdover, called Trump’s domestic military deportation plan 'dumb' and criticized Vance’s foreign policy as 'isolationist' and 'wackamamie crazy.'
• Hegseth’s tenure has been marked by leadership instability, including the resignation of former chief of staff Joe Kasper in late April following staff purges over alleged leaks.
• Despite the White House’s decision, Buria will remain in Hegseth’s office as a senior adviser, continuing to influence Pentagon operations.
• The intervention highlights ongoing ideological clashes and operational dysfunction within Hegseth’s leadership at the Pentagon.