Senior Hegseth Aide Steps Down from Pentagon After Six Months Of Service

One of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s top advisors, Justin Fulcher, has stepped down after six months of service at the Pentagon. The Department of Defense confirmed Fulcher’s departure on Saturday, following his formal resignation Thursday evening.

Fulcher said the move was his own decision, noting that he had planned from the beginning to serve six months. “This experience has been incredibly inspiring,” Fulcher shared on X, praising Hegseth and former President Donald Trump for their leadership. “None of this could have happened without Secretary Hegseth’s decisive leadership or President Trump’s continued confidence in our team.”

During his tenure, Fulcher played a critical role in advancing key defense initiatives. He contributed to major acquisition program reviews designed to strengthen U.S. military lethality and bolster the industrial base. Fulcher also streamlined outdated software procurement processes, cutting timelines from years to months, and worked on modernizing critical IT systems across the Department of Defense.

Key highlights of Fulcher’s contributions include:

• Redirecting nearly $50 billion from non-lethal programs to more impactful readiness and defense initiatives.

• Supporting high-level meetings across the Indo-Pacific, including the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

• Helping “revitalize the warrior ethos” while contributing to Trump’s broader plan to rebuild and modernize the military.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell praised Fulcher’s service, stating: “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.”

Fulcher’s departure is part of a broader reshuffling within Hegseth’s office, where at least six aides have left since January. Defense officials have brushed off the changes as standard personnel transitions typical of major leadership shifts.

Although Fulcher has not yet disclosed his next steps, he hinted that he will remain active in national security circles. “I will continue to champion American warfighters in all future endeavors,” he wrote.

The Pentagon has not yet named a replacement for Fulcher, but his short tenure underscores the intense focus on modernizing and strengthening the military under Trump and Hegseth’s leadership.

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