Joe Kasper, the chief of staff to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is set to exit his role at the Pentagon following a tumultuous week that saw three of Hegseth’s top aides fired in connection with an internal probe into leaks.
Initially, reports indicated that Kasper would transition to another role within the Department of Defense. However, in an interview with Politico, Kasper confirmed he will instead depart his full-time post and return to work in government relations and consulting.
He will continue to support the Pentagon on a limited basis as a special government employee—a designation that permits him to perform temporary duties for up to 130 days per year.
The news comes amid growing tension and upheaval inside the Department of Defense. Last week, three close aides to Secretary Hegseth were either fired or placed on leave after being implicated in unauthorized information disclosures.
Among them was Dan Caldwell, a senior advisor to Hegseth, who was reportedly escorted out of the Pentagon after allegedly leaking sensitive material.
Caldwell was also a known participant in a private Signal chat group involving Rep. Mike Waltz and others, reportedly discussing defense-related matters.
In addition to Caldwell, Deputy Chief