Hegseth has gone too far — the Pentagon purge hits General Donahue
Pete Hegseth just came for the wrong general. Chris Donahue — the special operations legend who ran the Afghanistan airlift, armed the Ukrainians, and built NATO's eastern flank deterrence — is being pushed out of the Pentagon. Paul Rieckhoff and former FBI special agent Christopher O'Leary break down why this purge is a sucking chest wound for national security, and why Trump is about to hear about it.
Pete Hegseth has been quietly purging the Pentagon of anyone who might outshine him, contradict him, or threaten his grip on power. This…
The Brief
→ Four things from today’s episodeWhy General Chris Donahue is the closest thing the post-9/11. Why General Chris Donahue is the closest thing the post-9/11 military has to a Mattis-level figure — and why he's revered across the political spectrum
Chris O'Leary on working alongside Donahue. "one of the finest soldiers in the US military" and a quiet professional who never pounded his chest
The full Donahue résumé. the Afghanistan airlift, arming Ukraine, and building NATO's Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative against Russia
Why Hegseth is sidelining elite operators for the same reaso. Why Hegseth is sidelining elite operators for the same reason he went after Senator Mark Kelly — they're formidable, and that's the threat
Recent Episodes
Trump vs the GOP and why NYC's primary is broken
Tucker and MTG bail on the GOP — and 5M independents get locked out
Henry Rollins: 13 dead for what?
Trump's Iran blunder: the biggest loss in a generation
Max Brooks on veterans, hope, and the antidote to despair
Knicks joy, Trump’s Iran losing deal, and why 45% of America is independent
Lauren Pinkston's independent plan to flip Tennessee
Independents hit 47%: the angry middle is now the majority
By the Beat
→ 6 verticals we’re coveringGet TMI: The Morning Independent in your inbox.
Four things you need to know, every weekday morning. Pulled from the show, written by humans, free forever.