Stephen A's Take: Trump defends 2nd Signal chat by Hegseth and Kristi Noem gets robbed!

Summary

Summary of "Stephen A's Take: Trump Defends 2nd Signal Chat by Hegseth and Kristi Noem Gets Robbed!"

Released on April 22, 2025, on The Stephen A. Smith Show by Stephen A. Smith and iHeartPodcasts, this episode delves into the recent controversies surrounding high-ranking officials in the Trump administration. Stephen A. Smith provides a critical analysis of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's questionable actions and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's security lapse, drawing parallels to past political scandals and questioning the competence of Trump's cabinet appointments.

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1. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's Controversial Conduct

Incident Overview Stephen A. Smith begins the episode by addressing the turmoil surrounding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following the "Signal Chat" controversy. Hegseth allegedly used his personal Signal app to communicate sensitive information regarding US military operations in Yemen with a group of 13 individuals, including his wife and brother.

Resignations and Internal Fallout Hegseth's actions led to significant upheaval within the Pentagon. Smith notes that in just one week, key figures like Dan Caldwell and Darren Selnick were escorted out, followed by nearly every member of the Pentagon’s defense digital service resigning. Smith highlights:

"Here, just to help y'all out... Here are just three moves from the past month that had many inside the Pentagon and around Washington questioning his leadership."
[02:15]

Questioning Qualifications Smith scrutinizes Hegseth’s qualifications, emphasizing his transition from a weekend host on Fox News to overseeing national defense:

"How do you go from a weekend host on Fox News to overseeing our national defense? As Defense Secretary, overseeing three and a half million people, how are you qualified to do that?"
[03:19]

2. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's Security Breach

The Robbery Incident The episode shifts focus to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who had her purse stolen in Washington, D.C. The stolen items included her passport, driver’s license, government access badge, $3,000 in cash, and blank checks. Smith questions the effectiveness of the Secret Service:

"Secret Service around and people like that, they still stole a purse."
[06:22]

Implications for National Security Smith argues that such security lapses at the highest levels undermine national security and call into question the administration's competence:

"When you’re the Secretary of Defense... you put us in a position where we've got to question Donald Trump, the President of the United States."
[04:03]

3. Parallels to the Hillary Clinton Email Scandal

Historical Comparison Smith draws a parallel between Hegseth’s misuse of communication channels and Hillary Clinton's infamous email scandal during the 2016 election. He emphasizes the severity of Hegseth’s actions by comparing them to the backlash Clinton faced:

"Any security professional, military, government or otherwise would be fired on the spot and criminally prosecuted for being so reckless with this kind of information."
[07:45]

Trump’s Consistency on Transparency and Competence Highlighting Trump’s claims of prioritizing competence and transparency, Smith juxtaposes these statements with the current administration’s failures:

"But when you look at what's transpiring right now, particularly as it pertains to our security in this country... there's a reason to be alarmed."
[09:03]

4. Critique of Trump's Cabinet Appointments and Leadership

Loyalty vs. Competence Smith challenges President Trump’s emphasis on loyalty over competence in his cabinet appointments. He questions the balance between trusting the president and ensuring that cabinet members possess the necessary qualifications:

"You are supposed to be, especially you, the President of the United States. You're supposed to be making sure that people in these positions are qualified to do the job. That should be a priority just as much."
[14:35]

Impact on National Security By highlighting the security breaches involving both the Department of Defense and Homeland Security, Smith argues that Trump’s appointment choices are detrimental to the country's safety:

"When the plane collided with the helicopter and lives were lost... DEI really should stand for didn't Earn it, as opposed to diversity, equity and inclusion. But when you look at what's transpiring right now... the hits keep on coming for President Trump's Cabinet."
[05:00]

5. Trump’s Statements and Accountability

Inclusion of Trump’s Past Remarks To underscore his points, Smith references Trump’s own rhetoric from the 2016 election regarding Hillary Clinton’s email practices, highlighting a lack of accountability within the current administration:

"Take a look at Trump and what his positions were. Let us listen, please."
[10:06]

Smith reads a clip of Trump’s aggressive stance against Hillary Clinton’s email deletion, drawing attention to the irony of similar recklessness within his own cabinet:

"There has never been so many lies, so much deception... And honestly, you ought to be ashamed of yourself."
[10:06]

6. Conclusion: The Need for Leadership Accountability

Ongoing Investigations and Media Coverage Smith concludes by discussing the ongoing investigations into Hegseth and Noem, noting varied responses from media outlets and the White House’s dismissal of these reports as "fake news":

"There are numerous reports... White House called it fake news. We'll see who's right, who's telling the truth and who's wrong. We will find out."
[14:00]

Final Thoughts on Administration's Competence Reiterating his stance, Smith emphasizes the critical need for competent leadership in the Trump administration to ensure national security and restore public trust:

"That's all I'm saying. You know, to go from a weekend host on Fox News to being the Secretary of defense for the United States of America is a bit extreme of a push."
[15:28]

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• [03:19]
  "He served our country honorably. He was a weekend host on Fox News. All I ever said was, how do you go from a weekend host on Fox News to overseeing our national defense?"
  — Stephen A. Smith

• [07:45]
  "Any security professional, military, government or otherwise would be fired on the spot and criminally prosecuted for being so reckless with this kind of information."
  — Stephen A. Smith

• [10:06]
  "There has never been so many lies, so much deception... And honestly, you ought to be ashamed of yourself."
  — Donald Trump (as cited by Stephen A. Smith)

• [15:28]
  "To go from a weekend host on Fox News to being the Secretary of defense for the United States of America is a bit extreme of a push."
  — Stephen A. Smith

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Key Takeaways:

1. Leadership Scrutiny: The actions of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have raised serious concerns about the competence and security protocols within the Trump administration’s cabinet.

2. Accountability Issues: Stephen A. Smith highlights a pattern of lax security practices and questions the administration’s commitment to competence over loyalty.

3. Historical Parallels: By comparing current events to the Hillary Clinton email scandal, Smith underscores the importance of consistent accountability standards across administrations.

4. Media and Political Response: The dismissal of reports as "fake news" by the White House and varying media responses indicate a contentious battle over the administration’s integrity and transparency.

5. Call for Competent Leadership: Smith advocates for prioritizing professional qualifications and integrity in cabinet appointments to safeguard national security and restore public trust.

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This detailed summary encapsulates the critical discussions and insights presented by Stephen A. Smith in the episode, providing a comprehensive overview for those who have not listened to the podcast.

Transcript

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[Host 1]

Let's get to Washington, D.C. please. And the troubling headlines tied to Defense Secretary Mr. Pete Hegseth.

[Host 2]

In the wake of the Signal Chat.

[Host 1]

Controversy, Hegseth made moves to essentially close ranks around his senior staff, top advisors Dan Caldwell was escorted from the Pentagon and soon after Darren Selnick followed.

[Host 2]

That same day, nearly every single member.

[Host 1]

Of the Pentagon's defense digital service announced.

[Host 2]

They were resigning as the week progressed. Again, we're talking about just one week. Last week, Hagseth, quote unquote, reassigned his chief of staff and then asked the Pentagon's former top spokesperson John Elliott to resign.

[Host 1]

And just this weekend, two sources tell NBC News that Hegseth used his personal phone to send information about US military operations in Yemen to a 13 person signal group chat, including his wife and his brother.

[Host 2]

And according to the report, Hegseth did.

[Host 1]

So after an aide warned him to be careful not to share sensitive information on an unsecure communication system before the Yemen operation. So here, just to help y'all out.

[Host 2]

Here are just three moves from the.

[Host 1]

Past month that had many inside the Pentagon and around Washington questioning his leadership.

[Host 2]

It started with Signal Gate, where Hegseth.

[Host 1]

Tried to debunk the reporting through a vague denial that, quote, nobody was texting war plans, end quote. Then a Wall Street Journal journal reported.

[Host 2]

That Hegseth brought his wife, a former.

[Host 1]

Fox News producer by the way, into.

[Host 2]

Two meetings with with foreign military counterparts where sensitive information was discussed. And finally, the Pentagon set up a top secret briefing by the Joint Chiefs.

[Host 1]

Of Staff on China for Elon Musk, who still has extensive business interest in China. According to former top spokesperson John Elliott, the White House canceled that meeting after learning about it. Does this sound like Competence to you? 13 person chat, chat threat, national security information, having your wife and brother on.

[Host 2]

That text chain, showing up to certain.

[Host 1]

Meetings with your wife How'd that sound, ladies and gentlemen?

[Host 2]

Now, see, I don't want to sit.

[Host 1]

Up there and get in the Pete Hag.

[Host 2]

Seth.

[Host 1]

He served our country honorably. He was a weekend host on Fox News. All I ever said was, how do you go from a weekend host on Fox News to overseeing our national defense? As Defense Secretary, overseeing three and a half million people, how are you qualified to do that? How are you qualified to do that?

[Host 2]

That's all I ever said.

[Host 1]

I'm not wishing anything bad on him. I'm not wishing him to fail.

[Host 2]

Him failing is us failing as a.

[Host 1]

Nation, which endangers all of us.

[Host 2]

When you're the Secretary of Defense, I'm.

[Host 1]

Feeling you on that.

[Host 2]

I got that part. What I'm saying is, more importantly than anything else, it puts us in a position where we've got to question Donald Trump, the President of the United States. I'm gonna hire the best. I'm gonna have the best staff, the most elite people working for me, the most qualified people working for me. They're gonna be better than anybody you've ever seen in American history. All of this other stuff, what about that? See, your fealty and your loyalty to the President of the United States, how you want to deify him, as questionable as that may be, if not flat out pathetic in the eyes of others, really is not the point. The point is why does your loyalty or fealty towards him extend to such a degree that we want to put on blinders when it comes to people he may have in his Cabinet? It's a fair question. When the plane collided with the helicopter and lives were lost, God rest their wonderful souls, in that crash months ago, the first words out of Trump mouth was to blame DEI, diversity, equity and inclusion. Well, sir, Mr. President, do you have any evidence of that? Oh, no. I had to go on national TV and say, DEI really should stand for didn't Earn it, as opposed to diversity, equity and inclusion. But when you look at what's transpiring right now, particularly as it pertains to our security in this country or for this country, there's a reason to be alarmed. Why do I say that? Because the hits keep on coming for President Trump's Cabinet. Just yesterday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had her purse stolen at a restaurant in D.C. inside the purse was her passport, a driver's license and government access badge. $3,000 in cash and blank checks, according to the reports. According to USA Today specifically, the Secret Service has launched an investigation to trace any use of her financial assets. Ladies and gentlemen, pause for a second. Pretty please. Trigger on one dude is a secretary.

[Host 1]

Of defense making these mistakes. And I had a Homeland Security just got robbed. Pickpocketed essentially. Not even pickpocket. They stole a purse.

[Host 2]

Secret Service around and people like that, they still stole a purse.

[Host 1]

How the hell that happened?

[Host 2]

Protecting the country. You can't protect yourself from some of the most basically rudimentary things that you should be able to avoid letting happen. By the way, this comes from the same cabinet. I mean, have you seen Pete Hegseth speak in the past? Do you remember when the whole email scandal involving Hillary Clinton that a lot of people on the left believe cost of the election? Because a week before, a week or two before the election, James Comey then the head of the FBI decide to announce that there was an investigation into emails that Hillary Clinton was using on a private server, thereby threatening national security in the eyes of critics who wanted to take her down. Well, guess what, Pete Hegseth. The same Pete Hegseth that we're talking about. Same Pete Hegseth that got his wife and his brother in text change with national security information that Pete Hag Seth. Ladies and gentlemen, I wanna rewind the.

[Host 1]

Clock about nine years when the whole.

[Host 2]

Hillary Clinton thing was going down right prior to the election. Listen to Pete Hag said talk about Hillary Clinton at that particular moment in time. This is Pete Hegseth and we are quoting.

[Host 1]

Any security professional, military, government or otherwise would be fired on the spot and.

[Host 2]

Criminally prosecuted for being so reckless with this kind of information.

[Host 1]

Say what? Say what? Say what? He actually said that. Yes, he did.

[Host 2]

Yes he did. He most certainly said that. Put that quarter piece saying Hank Seth up there again. Please put it up on that full screen again. I need everybody to see it. Because this man who is the Defense secretary for the United States of America who got busted exchanging information of national security importance about the hooties in Yemen ultimately scheduled to be bombed. That same dude said that about Hillary Ronald Clinton. Any security professional, military, government or otherwise would be fired on the spot and criminally prosecuted for being so reckless with this kind of information.

[Host 1]

So that don't apply to you now, huh, sir? Not at all. I mean, you just completely innocent all this.

[Host 2]

And now you got Homeland Security secretary getting her purse snatched. So we got the Department of Defense and Homeland Security being compromised on personal levels involving security matters. And that's who Donald Trump is telling us to trust without national security. Remember what Trump said about Hillary Rod Clinton?

[Host 1]

This is going to take a minute.

[Host 2]

Listen to the 47th President of the.

[Host 1]

United States, who he is now when.

[Host 2]

He was en route to becoming the.

[Host 1]

45Th President of the United States, competing with Hillary Rodham Clinton for the election in 2016. Take a look at Trump and what his positions were. Let us listen, please.

[Donald Trump]

I think the one that you should really be apologizing for and the thing that you should be apologizing for are the 33,000 emails that you deleted and that you acid washed and then the two boxes of emails and other things last week that were taken from an office and are now missing. And I'll tell you what, I didn't think I'd say this, but I'm going to say it, and I hate to say it, but if I win, I am going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation. Because there has never been so many lies, so much deception. There has never been anything like it. And we're going to have a special prosecutor. When I speak, I go out and speak. The people of this country are furious. In my opinion, the people that have been long term workers at the FBI are furious. There has never been anything like this where emails and you get a subpoena. You get a subpoena, and after getting the subpoena, you delete 33,000 emails and then you acid wash them or bleach them, as you would say, a very expensive process. So we're going to get a special prosecutor and we're going to look into it. Because you know what? People have been, their lives have been destroyed for doing one fifth of what you've done. And it's a disgrace. And honestly, you ought to be ashamed of yourself.

[Host 1]

Needless to say, Hillary Rodham Clinton followed that up immediately by calling that a bunch of lies, encouraging folks to fact check her, claiming that it was a complete fabrication, et cetera. And that was the same moment when she was saying, she said, thank goodness somebody like him is not our commander in chief and overseeing law enforcement in this country. And that was when Trump said, yeah, because you'd be in jail. So that was the same, you know, back and forth that happened in 2016. I only bring that up because since Trump is about law and order, since he is about competence, since he is about transparency, since he is about all of these things, what's up with your peeps? What's up with, you know, Kristi Gnomes? That's not a fireable offense. You're looking at Secret Service, how you let somebody snatch a pocketbook. But in the case of Pete, hegseth to find out that his wife and his brother, no national security clearance. There was a part of these, this, this, these communications. And you've got national security folks appalled by that. Something has to be said about that. Something has to be done about that. Now the White House is calling it fake news. These reports that, saying they're looking to replace him, according to everybody that I've spoken to, because I've, I've, I've cultivated a few sources in Washington over the past few months. Of course, they say that, you know, knowing Trump, he'll probably stick with Pete Hegseth just because the national media is trying to compel him to let him go. And Trump doesn't want to ever be seen as somebody caves in to such pressure. Nevertheless, that is the situation right now. There are numerous reports. NPR came out with something. White House called it fake news. CNN said something. Others have said something in regards to Pete Hegseth maybe approaching his final days as the Secretary of defense for the United States. The White House says no, that's not the situation. We'll see who's right, who's telling the truth and who's wrong. We will find out. But what's undeniable and undebatable is that at this moment in time, the inexperience of Pete hag seth has shown. And that's all I've been saying. You know, to go from a weekend host on Fox News to being the Secretary of defense for the United States of America is a bit extreme of a push. And when you're willing to do something like that, you don't get to turn to everybody else and talk about DEI being a problem. You know, you're supposed to be, especially you, the President of the United States. You're supposed to be making sure that people in these positions are qualified to do the job. That should be a priority just as much. I wouldn't say more, because loyalty to the president does matter. You have to have people in your cabinet that you can trust. So I'm not going to dismiss that. But equally as important is their competence and their professionalism and their integrity. And right now, people believe they've got a question. Look at Pete Hegseth and question all of that. And in terms of your homeland Security secretary and your secretary of defense both being embroiled in security issues, that doesn't seem like the president of the United States has been the vert that has picked the very best and the very finest for the jobs. That's all I'm saying. That's all I'M saying.

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