Report says Army resources are stretched thin protecting Pete Hegseth's large family

By 
 August 21, 2025

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is known to have a large family, fathering four children via his ex-wife and ex-girlfriend as well as raising three stepchildren with his current wife.

According to a new report, looking out for Hegseth's family members has put a strain on the Army's police force. 

Unnamed source claims to have "never seen this many security teams for one guy"

As the Washington Post noted in an article published on Wednesday, the Army's Criminal Investigation Division (CID) is tasked with investigating major crimes involving the Army.

It also oversees security for Hegseth and his family, something which a number of unnamed sources say has grown increasingly difficult.

"I've never seen this many security teams for one guy," one unidentified CID official was quoted as telling the Post. "Nobody has."

"It is literally taking away from [CID’s] law enforcement mission. … You are taking hundreds of people out of the field to provide this level of protection," another individual complained.

CID has reportedly assigned more agents to protective duties

In addition to Hegseth, the CID is also responsible for protecting the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the secretary of the Army, and other high-ranking Pentagon officials.

The Post explained that the CID has typically allocated around 150 of its approximately 1,500 agents towards VIP protective services.

Yet one source told the Post that this figure has since increased to 400 individuals, with another source putting the figure at 500.

For its part, the CID acknowledged that it "operates within existing resource constraints" but "proactively adjusts its efforts to address emerging threats and maintains a robust security posture in both the investigative and protective realms."

Pentagon spokesman slams report

However, the Daily Mail noted how the Post's report was met with opposition from Sean Parnell, who serves as chief Pentagon spokesman.

"Any action pertaining to the security of Secretary Hegseth and his family has been in response to the threat environment and at the full of recommendation the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID)," Parnell said in a statement provided to the newspaper.

"When left-wing blogs like the Washington Post continue to dox cabinet secretaries' security protocols and movements, it puts lives at risk," the spokesman went on to add.

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