Don Bacon: 'I've Seen Enough' — Lawmaker Says Hegseth's Actions 'Ruined His Credibility' After 'Signalgate'

Rep. Don Bacon Intensifies Criticism Of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

Rep. Don Bacon (R‑Neb.) escalated his criticism of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday, saying recent revelations and the secretary’s response have “ruined his credibility.” Bacon told Politico reporter Dasha Burns — who also hosts the C‑SPAN program Ceasefire — that he expected a leader to acknowledge mistakes but instead heard deflection and blame.

"After Signalgate, I think I’ve seen enough. What I really wanted to see was someone take responsibility — own to a mistake," Bacon said. He added that Hegseth blaming the media for the coverage "ruined his credibility."

Bacon acknowledged Hegseth "had some issues" during confirmation but said he planned to give the former Fox News host a fair chance once confirmed. "What I’ve seen is what I call just poor decision‑making," Bacon told Burns. The lawmaker, who has said he will retire at the end of his term, added that a leader should say, "I screwed up. I take responsibility. I learned my lesson. I won’t do it again."

Those comments follow a watchdog report released earlier this week that found Hegseth endangered troops and violated department policy by using his personal cell phone and the Signal messaging app to transmit classified information about a pending strike on Houthi targets in Yemen. Bacon called the administration’s claim that the report cleared Hegseth "total baloney" and criticized the secretary for not admitting error.

Separately, Hegseth has been scrutinized over reports that he ordered a second strike on a vessel allegedly carrying narcotics to the U.S. after survivors were seen clinging to the boat’s side. Hegseth has denied ordering military leaders to "kill everybody" and said he was not present when a so‑called "double tap" decision was made. Navy Adm. Frank Bradley later briefed lawmakers about the Sept. 2 attack.

In the same interview, Bacon also criticized new Pentagon restrictions on media access and limits on base communications with Congress, linking those policies to what he described as Hegseth’s unwillingness to accept responsibility. Bacon said major outlets such as Fox, The New York Times and The Washington Post have been pushed outside the Pentagon while less experienced reporters operate inside, and that some bases have been instructed to route congressional queries through Pentagon vetting.

Several Republican lawmakers have echoed concerns about Hegseth’s actions and have called for additional information about the legality of the strikes; some have urged him to step aside. Despite the controversy, the Defense Department has continued conducting strikes in the Caribbean targeting suspected "narco‑terrorists," and the White House has pushed back against demands for additional congressional authorization for operations against drug cartels.

Reported by Nexstar Media. For the latest news and video, see The Hill.