Pete Hegseth condemned by ex-Fox & Friends colleague after 'huge' military loss

Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade broke with his former colleague, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, calling his latest move a "huge loss for our country."

Kilmeade wrote on X on Wednesday morning, reacting to a Wall Street Journal report on the forced retirement of Gen. Christopher Donahue. He compared losing the general to "losing Tom Brady in the prime of his career."

Donahue commanded U.S. Army Europe and Africa and was widely seen as a future Army chief of staff. He leaves on July 2 after just 18 months in the role.

Hegseth blocked behind-the-scenes efforts by Army officials and Capitol Hill allies to extend Donahue's career, according to The Washington Post. He never offered a public explanation.

The break from Kilmeade is striking. He spent months defending Hegseth through scandal after scandal.

When Hegseth reportedly shared sensitive military strike plans over Signal with his wife and brother, Kilmeade suggested on Fox that it "could be part of a learning curve."

He also asked Hegseth on air whether "deep state forces" were trying to push him out of the Pentagon.

Now Kilmeade is the one raising questions, and Donahue's supporters say the decision makes no sense on the merits.

"He's singularly our best warfighter at every level," one retired senior Army officer told reporters.

Former special presidential envoy Brett McGurk, who coordinated the campaign against the Islamic State under both Obama and Trump, called Donahue "among the most consequential commanders of his generation."

Donahue hands over command on July 2. The Army plans to downgrade the post from a four-star position to a three-star one.