With Justin Fulcher’s resignation this weekend, this is the sixth departure from the Pentagon during Hegseth’s six-month tenure as Defense Secretary. Fulcher said he had originally planned to serve six months in government and, having reached that point, chose to move on “amicably.” He also emphasized what he described as the “great work” being done by Hegseth “for our troops and country”, reports The New York Post.
“The Department of Defense is grateful to Justin Fulcher for his work on behalf of President [Donald] Trump and Secretary Hegseth. We wish him well in his future endeavors,” chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement.
Another Hegseth aide quits
While three sources who spoke to CBS News said that Fulcher was “ousted”. But in a text message to The Washington Post, Fulcher claimed that his departure was “perfectly amicable”. Fulcher was promoted to his role at the Pentagon from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency in April.
Fulcher told The Post that he was thankful to Hegseth, President Donald Trump, and “the extraordinary civilians and service members who turn vision into action every day.”
“Working alongside the dedicated men and women of the Department of Defense has been incredibly inspiring,” Fulcher added.
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Fulcher said he contributed to reviews of major acquisition programs aimed at strengthening lethality and the U.S. industrial base, and helped streamline software procurement timelines “from years to months,” modernizing key IT systems across the department.
He also said he supported Hegseth in high-level meetings across the Indo-Pacific, including the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, and participated in efforts that redirected nearly $50 billion from non-lethal line items into readiness and more impactful defense programs.
“As planned, I’ve completed 6 months of service in government to my country,” he wrote, calling the experience “incredibly inspiring.”
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Acknowledging Fulcher’s departure in a text message to The Washington Post, the Pentagon spokesperson told the Post that it was “not fair” to characterize Fulcher’s departure as a firing, adding that the former senior aide is a “great guy.”
His departure comes amid a broader reshuffling of senior personnel inside Hegseth’s office. At least six aides have left since January, though defense officials have downplayed the moves as standard transitions.
It’s unclear what Fulcher’s next step will be, though his statement suggests he intends to remain active in national security circles. The Pentagon has not yet named a replacement.
