Senior Hegseth adviser out at Pentagon, sources say

Justin Fulcher, a senior staffer at the Pentagon and adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has been ousted, three sources familiar with the matter told CBS News Saturday. 

Fulcher started at the Defense Department as a member of billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. He was then later promoted to a post as senior adviser to Hegseth. 

In April, a Pentagon spokesperson announced Fulcher’s role as a part of a new Defense Department leadership team, along with Marine Col. Ricky Buria and Patrick Weaver — both Hegseth aides — and chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell. It was created after sensitive military plans regarding an attack on the Houthis in Yemen were shared in a chat on the Signal messaging app in March between Hegseth and other top Trump administration officials.

“The Department of Defense is grateful to Justin Fulcher for his work on behalf of President Trump and Secretary Hegseth. We wish him well in his future endeavors,” Parnell in a statement to CBS News Saturday.

Hegseth’s office has seen a staffing shakeup in the wake of the Signal scandal. In March, Hegseth senior adviser Dan Caldwell and deputy chief of staff Dan Selnick were fired amid a leak probe, while his chief of staff Joe Kasper, was transitioned to a new role as a special government employee handling “special projects.”

The Defense Department also released a statement on behalf of Fulcher that read: “As planned, I’ve completed 6 months of service in government to my country. Working alongside the dedicated men and women of the Department of Defense has been incredibly inspiring.

“Revitalizing the warrior ethos, rebuilding the military, and reestablishing deterrence are just some of the historic accomplishments I’m proud to have witnessed. Still, this is just the beginning.

“None of this could have happened without Secretary Hegseth’s decisive leadership or President Trump’s continued confidence in our team. 

“I’m grateful to both, and to the extraordinary civilians and service members who turn vision into action every day. 

“I will continue to champion American warfighters in all future endeavors and remain impressed by the work of the Department of Defense.”