Bill Kristol Makes the Case Trump Is Hinting Pete Hegseth’s ‘Days Are Numbered’

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth looks toward Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, as they speak to members of the media during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Veteran political pundit Bill Kristol made the case on Thursday that President Donald Trump is signaling that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s “days are numbered.”

Kristol pointed to Trump not mentioning Hegseth in his Truth Social post announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon as one of two key pieces of evidence that Hegseth has lost Trump’s confidence.

Trump wrote on Truth Social, “I just had excellent conversations with the Highly Respected President Joseph Aoun, of Lebanon, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel. These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 Day CEASEFIRE at 5 P.M. EST. On Tuesday, the two Countries met for the first time in 34 years here in Washington, D.C., with our Great Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.”

“I have directed Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Rubio, together with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Razin’ Caine, to work with Israel and Lebanon to achieve a Lasting PEACE. It has been my Honor to solve 9 Wars across the World, and this will be my 10th, so let’s, GET IT DONE! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” concluded Trump.

Kristol, a leading figure in the “Never Trump” movement, shared the post and noted, “The omission of Hegseth from the list of those Trump directs to work on the ceasefire (and his replacement, as it were, by Caine), along with Driscoll’s embrace of Gen. George earlier today, makes me think Hegseth’s days are numbered.”

Kristol’s second piece of evidence there refers to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll’s comments earlier in the day, saying he regretted Hegseth firing former Army chief of staff, Gen. Randy George – who was widely respected in the Pentagon and the Trump administration.

“I was in North Carolina when Gen. George was asked to put in his resignation paperwork, with my family for my kids’ spring break. When we drove back from North Carolina, I drove straight to Gen. George’s house, we walked right in, and we all gave him a hug,” Driscoll said during a House hearing, adding he “personally” regretted the firing.

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