Jennifer Hegseth has emerged as the most influential adviser to her husband, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, at the Pentagon, according to a report by The New York Times.
The former television producer is acting as Hegseth's de facto producer inside the Department of Defense, shaping a position no spouse of a Pentagon official has held before.
Before Hegseth took office at the Pentagon, the Department of Defense headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, Jennifer Hegseth worked for years as his producer at Fox News during his 18-year career at the cable news network. Her role expanded significantly after her husband assumed control of the military establishment.
Seven years into their marriage, she prepares the defense chief for public speeches, attends his meetings with journalists, interviews prospective staff members, and helps plan Defense Department videos, occasionally appearing in them alongside her husband.
Earlier this month, Jennifer Hegseth was also appointed to head the President's Advisory Commission on Military Families. The unpaid position focuses on improving the quality of life for families of American service members.
Sensitive defense meetings
Her participation in sensitive government affairs has drawn scrutiny within national security circles. In 2025, she attended a high-level meeting between Hegseth and senior British defense officials following a temporary US pause on sharing military intelligence with Ukraine.
An official cited by the newspaper said her presence alarmed the British delegation. British officials spoke only in general terms during the session and later held a smaller, private meeting without her to discuss specific details.
The unusual level of access has raised questions about Hegseth's management of the defense department. John Ullyot, a former chief Pentagon spokesman who resigned after three months under Hegseth, sharply criticized her involvement in official matters.
Ullyot said it was crazy for a defense secretary to involve his wife in sensitive official duties, including sharing details of an upcoming military operation, without facing any consequences.
Tensions over missile stockpiles
The disclosures come amid growing friction between Hegseth and US President Donald Trump over military readiness. According to The Washington Post, Trump engaged in a heated argument with the defense secretary over missile shortages that restrict US capabilities in the war with Iran.
Trump believed ammunition inventory problems had already been resolved and demanded an explanation. Sources said Hegseth blamed his deputy, Stephen Feinberg, claiming Feinberg failed to oversee weapons stockpiles or inform the president of the true situation, reflecting Trump's mounting dissatisfaction with his defense chief.
Tensions were further heightened after CNN reported that the military had used about 80 percent of its stockpiles for the THAAD anti-ballistic missile defense system. Hegseth denied the report, stating the information was false and posting online that media coverage of the issue was disgraceful.
