• Military recruitment <a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/04/21/army-recruiting-upswing-service-hits-85-of-annual-goal-5-months-left.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continues to be strong</a>.

• Senators who voted for him did so recently and after a high-profile fight: To say he should go now would be to admit they were wrong, and they won’t want to do that.

• Compared with most of its predecessors, this administration prizes running a tight ship less and being combative on TV more. That’s part of why Hegseth was nominated, after all.

• So far, firing MAGA-affiliated aides has not brought Hegseth much MAGA criticism.

If President Trump gets annoyed by stories coming out of the Pentagon, I think he could fire Hegseth without much political downside. Hegseth’s fans are Trump’s fans first. But he isn’t suffering any political damage from keeping him either, so he may not feel any need to drop him.

So far, the president isn’t suffering any political damage from keeping him.{ai:summary}<p>Military recruitment remains robust, and recent Senate votes for Hegseth reflect a reluctance to admit prior errors. The current administration emphasizes a combative media presence over strict internal management, which aligns with Hegseth's nomination. </p><p>While Hegseth has dismissed MAGA-affiliated aides without backlash, his position may be secure as long as he maintains support from Trump's base. However, if Trump grows dissatisfied with Pentagon narratives, Hegseth could be dismissed with minimal political fallout. #politics</p>

The Corner: Working in Hegseth’s Favor

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