'He's gonna be a very good defense secretary': Trump publicly defends Hegseth during interview with ABC News

During his interview with ABC News on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump was asked about the level of trust he could currently have with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. He called it a "stupid question" from journalist Terry Moran, after the latest controversies that have surrounded the secretary and the numerous media reports indicating that the Republican leader is about to replace him.

During the interview, which took place in prime time and was focused on Trump's first 100 days in office, the president was asked about the conversations he has had recently with Hegseth, who has been in the news in recent weeks for his use of the encrypted platform Signal to discuss work issues, as well as for the internal turmoil that has taken place at the Pentagon resulting in the removal of several of top advisors.

"Did you take him to the woodshed?" asked Moran. "I had a talk with him, and whatever I said, I probably wouldn't be inclined to tell you, but we had a good talk. He's a talented guy, he's young, he's smart, highly educated, and I think he's gonna be a very good defense- hopefully a great defense secretary, but he'll be a very good defense secretary," Trump replied.

To that response, Moran asked Trump to affirm if he has "100% confidence in Pete Hegseth," to which the Republican leader replied, "I don't have 100% confidence in anything, okay? Anything. 'Do I have 100%...' It's a stupid question." Eventually, Moran detailed that the role of secretary of defense is "a pretty important position," to which Trump replied, "No, no, no. You don't have 100%. Only a liar would say, 'I have 100% confidence.' I don't have 100% confidence that we're gonna finish this interview."

Separately, touching on the subject of negotiations with Ukraine and Russia to reach a peace deal, Moran asked Trump if he believed the Russian president Vladimir Putin wants peace, to which Trump replied, "I think he does, yes." Following this comment, the reporter asked if the president continued to believe this, "even with the raining missiles" he has deployed against Ukraine, with the Republican leader responding that Putin's dream was to "take over the whole country."

Finally, after being asked if he trusted Putin, Trump responded, "I don't trust you, I don't trust a lot of people. ... I don't trust a lot of people, but I do think this: I think he respects me, and I think it's because of me he’s not gonna take over the whole country."