Hegseth's expansive security requirements tax Army protective unit

[Zorro]

The agency tasked with protecting Defense Department leaders is under significant strain, and the secretary’s atypical needs are becoming untenable, officials say.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s unusually large personal security requirements are straining the Army agency tasked with protecting him as it pulls agents from criminal investigations to safeguard family residences in Minnesota, Tennessee and D.C., according to numerous officials familiar with the operation.

The sprawling, multimillion-dollar initiative has forced the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division, or CID, the agency that fields security for top Defense Department officials, to staff weeks-long assignments in each location and at times monitor residences belonging to the Hegseths’ former spouses, the officials said.

One CID official, who like some others spoke on the condition of anonymity citing a fear of reprisal, characterized Hegseth’s personal protective arrangement as unlike any other in the agency’s recent history.

“I’ve never seen this many security teams for one guy,” the official said. “Nobody has.”

https://wapo.st/3HGT9dB

[Turbineguy]

1. It's a well-known terrorist tactic

run up the costs for your enemy.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. When it comes

It will come from within that security detail.

[haele]

5. Praetorian Guards, anyone?

Multiple security units? What a snowflake.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

3. MaddowBlog-Pete Hegseth reportedly has an 'unusually large' security detail, generating pushback

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s security detail is reportedly so large that it’s straining the Army agency that’s tasked with protecting him

He doesn't have real friends, but still wants a 'posse' to hang around with him... no matter what it costs us.

Pete Hegseth reportedly has an ‘unusually large’ security detail, generating pushback

flip.it/imu9ct

— Deeds Not Words (@nodderuf.bsky.social) 2025-08-20T18:41:14.321Z

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/pete-hegseth-reportedly-unusually-large-security-detail-generating-pus-rcna226070

At the FBI, for example, the bureau’s deputy director has traditionally maintained a relatively low public profile and has never needed a security team. NBC News reported in April, however, that former conservative media personality Dan Bongino has received 24-hour security from a sizable contingent of agents.......

It’s against this backdrop that The Washington Post reported on the most egregious example to date.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s unusually large personal security requirements are straining the Army agency tasked with protecting him as it pulls agents from criminal investigations to safeguard family residences in Minnesota, Tennessee and D.C., according to numerous officials familiar with the operation.

The Post’s report, which has not been independently verified by MSNBC or NBC News, added that this multimillion-dollar initiative has forced the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division to even “monitor residences belonging to the Hegseths’ former spouses.”

Naturally, this is applying new strains on the Army agency and its budget. The Post spoke to one insider who said, “We have complete inability to achieve our most basic missions.”

The secretary and the Pentagon declined to comment.

The reporting, if accurate, is itself striking, but I continue to believe there’s a related story behind the story: On a very regular basis, Defense Department insiders have appeared quite eager to let the public know about Hegseth-related controversies, suggesting the former Fox News host still has more than his share of critics within the building.

[Retrograde]

4. Why does he need a security team?

I thought he was a bigly strong, manly warfighter, or whatever - shouldn't he be able to drive away his foes with just a withering glare?

[Demovictory9]

6. All those baby mamas