Pete Hegseth has lost his sixth senior aide in as many months, with the defence secretary’s struggle to retain key staff leaving the Pentagon in limbo.

Justin Fulcher, who served as a senior advisor to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, has departed from the Pentagon after six months. Fulcher announced his exit in a statement shared on X on Saturday, July 19. "As planned, I’ve completed 6 months of service in government to my country," he wrote.