Pete Hegseth Throws 'Full-Blown Tantrums When Challenged' and Has 'Lashed Out' at Staffers... as the Secretary of Defense Sparks Concern Over Disturbing Behavior

Pete Hegseth appears to be crashing out, aiming his frustrations at his own staff, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

The Secretary of Defense is said to be on edge following the shocking death of conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk, with his odd behavior ramping up in the last few weeks.

Two sources close to Hegseth claim the former Fox News personality has been going off on staff and is "obsessed" about all things related to his security.

"There's a manic quality about him," one insider claimed. "Or let me rephrase, an even more manic quality, which is really saying something." They also described the 45-year-old as visibly distracted, having even stood up and paced during meetings.

The other source added: "He's crawling out of his skin."

Hegseth's eerie behavior doesn't stop there, as he has also been accused of firing Pentagon officials for speaking to the media and other congressional staffers.

Hegseth, who still has a job in President Trump's administration despite several fumbles, is said to have been all about changing the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War for months, even bashing staffers who wanted to delay the unnecessary swap.

The ex-TV personality's anger, according to the sources, has also been on full display, especially when he's urged to be more consistent in discussing the military's potential involvement in several locations, including Europe and the Middle East, as is is said to lash out at his team.

"He takes things personally when challenged – like full-blown tantrums," one of the sources said.

The other insider claimed Hegseth has been in panic mode following Kirk's death, describing him as being "rattled" and "panicked" by the assassination.

"That warrior persona, he's spooked," they claimed.

RadarOnline.com has reached out to the White House for comment.

Hegseth has faced backlash over his decisions since stepping into his new role, with a lot of his energy spent on ridding the military of any "woke" policies.

At a Turning Point USA – which Kirk co-founded in 2012 – event in Tampa, Florida, Hegseth said he was focused on getting the military "back on track," by dictating nail polish color and eyelash extensions rather than military drills or diplomacy. He previously announced a new dress code for the military, with the goal of refining "standards" of grooming and appearance for service members.

"We're looking at overall fitness standards, overall grooming standards, overall basic standards across our formations that we believe have slipped certainly under the previous administration, but over decades," Hegseth previously told Congress.

In just a short time, Hegseth has found himself buried in controversy, especially US national security leaders, including Vice President JD Vance, top White House staff members, three Cabinet secretaries, and intelligence agency directors used the Signal app to discuss military plans, which led to sensitive information being leaked.

Hegseth used the chat to share details of impending airstrikes, including aircraft types, missiles, launch times, and planned attacks.

The leak then raised many concerns, and the Pentagon launched an investigation into the incident.