The hits keep coming for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
He’s having a brutal week, rocked by humiliating back-to-back leaks, including an embarrassing Pentagon nickname.
It all comes as a new report reveals just how paranoid he is about leaks that keep happening around the Pentagon.
Dark Web Breach
In the first incident, it seems Hegseth’s driver’s license turned up for sale on the dark web after a potentially massive breach at an identification-scanning company.
The breach resulted in the revelation of a huge identity theft scheme by an illicit service named Nexus that has netted millions of American and Canadian driver’s licenses, according to the Daily Beast.
The leak was discovered on Monday, Aug. 31, when journalist Brian Krebs reported that 153 million driver’s licenses, including his own, had turned up for sale on the dark web by Nexus. The Daily Beast reported that the stolen documents include passports, medical cards, and even marijuana dispensary cards.
In fact, an assistant director at the FBI’s information was also part of the breach after a visit to a marijuana dispensary in Las Vegas, according to Krebs. He did not identify the official but said other high-ranking government officials’ personal information was also part of the leak.
He wrote on his KrebsonSecurity website, “Word got around to the FBI that I was poking at the apparent source of this new identity theft service’s data. Probably they were tipped off when I shared with a trusted source that Nexus also is selling the driver’s license information for the assistant director of the FBI (I did not find FBI Director Kash Patel’s license in Nexus).”
An investigation is now underway. A DoD spokesperson told the Daily Beast Hegseth is aware of the breach.
Critics are now asking how Hegseth can be relied on to keep Americans safe if he can’t keep his own personal information safe.
An Embarrassing Nickname
In the other humiliating leak, as the 46-year-old former Fox News host continues his purge of top military officials, the Daily Beast revealed Hegseth is known inside the Pentagon as “No Tab Pete.”
That’s because the former Army National Guard member earned no patches during his service and was even sidelined by the Guard.
The New York Times reported Hegseth was identified as an “extremist” by the Guard over tattoos. Hegseth has insisted the ink in question was religious in nature.
When in dress uniform, patches signify special combat skills, of which Hegseth had none, yet he’s firing distinguished and decorated military veterans with long careers and stellar records of service.
Social media exploded with posters quickly pointing out what they called Hegseth’s incompetency and lack of experience for the top job at the Pentagon.
“He clearly couldn’t be anymore incompetent,” a Threads user noted.
Others agreed.
“And he keeps going after ‘leakers’. Dude can’t even protect his own personal information. Remember him group chatting in signal after he invited a reporter. What a dumba–,” an X user stated
Another angry commenter is fed up. “Hegseth needs to go. Yesterday. Cannot continue wasting time on his bullsh-t.”
This X user found something to laugh about in all this. “No tab Pete. You know that’s going to hurt him. lol.”
One Threads user saw the bigger problem beyond the leaks. “This administration is so unhinged.”
Paranoid Pete
Hegseth’s back-to-back leaks quickly took a back seat to a new report exposing just how paranoid he has become about the constant leaks.
According to the New York Times, some of the military’s highest-ranking officials were subject to polygraph tests as part of a Pentagon investigation.
Military officials and civilian employees were reportedly tested in August, including roughly 50 members of the Joint Staff.
Investigators questioned officials on whether they had disclosed classified information to journalists on dwindling weapons stockpiles amid the Iran war.
CBS reported that President Donald Trump was furious over the disclosures, despite only a small number of people having access to the classified information.
Polygraph tests are routine for top military and civilian officials, but officials said the sheer number of people subjected to testing in this case was highly unusual.
Pentagon Turmoil
The sweeping leak investigation comes amid a broader upheaval at the Pentagon.
Hegseth has fired or pushed aside more than two dozen military leaders since taking control of the Pentagon in early 2025.
The departures include former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. CQ Brown Jr.; Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the Navy’s former top officer; and former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George.
Gen. David Allvin, the former Air Force chief of staff, left before completing his term. Gen. James Mingus, the former Army vice chief of staff, retired early.
Another General, Gen. Christopher Donahue, also retired after Hegseth reportedly blocked efforts to extend his career leading Army forces in Europe and Africa.
Just this week Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned, with his last day coming on Wednesday, Sept. 2, following months of reported clashes with Hegseth.
Driscoll repeatedly clashed with Hegseth over removing longtime and qualified leaders, including George’s abrupt removal in April.
The Army has operated without a permanent chief of staff since George’s ouster. Gen. Christopher LaNeve currently holds the position in an acting capacity, but his path to Senate confirmation remains uncertain.
