Justin Fulcher, a senior staffer at the Pentagon and one of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s advisers, has left his role after six months, telling the press that he had decided to move on “amicably” and posting a statement online praising Secretary Hegseth for his “incredibly inspiring” leadership.
For background, on July 19, 2025, Pentagon staffer Justin Fulcher announced his departure from the Department of Defense, saying that he was “grateful” to both Secretary Hegseth and President Trump for their leadership. After Fulcher made his announcement, conservatives saluted him in the comments on X.
Writing on X on July 19, Fulcher explained, “As planned, I’ve completed 6 months of service in government to my country.” He continued, “Working alongside the dedicated men and women of the Department of Defense has been incredibly inspiring.”
Continuing, Fulcher said that during his time working at the Pentagon, he had proudly participated in multiple “historic accomplishments, including “revitalizing the warrior ethos, rebuilding the military, and reestablishing deterrence,” adding, “Still, this is just the beginning.”
Moreover, Fulcher said that he owed his success to Secretary Hegseth and President Trump, saying, “None of this could have happened without Secretary Hegseth’s decisive leadership or President Trump’s continued confidence in our team.” He added, “I’m grateful to both, and to the extraordinary civilians and service members who turn vision into action every day.”
Finally, the Pentagon staffer said that he would “continue to champion American warfighters in all future endeavors and remain impressed by the work of the Department of Defense.” In a separate statement, a DOD spokesperson said, “The Department of Defense is grateful to Justin Fulcher for his work on behalf of President Trump and Secretary Hegseth. We wish him well in his future endeavors.”
In response to Fulcher’s announcement, commenters on X called him a hero and a patriot. One X user wrote, “Now THAT’S a citizen patriot. We need millions more to work in that spirit.” Another chimed in, “This is what ‘public service’ should be! Not making a career in big government getting rich off of taxpayers. Thank you!”
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On the other hand, some press accounts have alleged that Fulcher was fired, with The Independent claiming that he had been “ousted” by Secretary Hegseth. However, in a statement, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said that it was “not fair” to describe Fulcher’s departure as a firing, calling him a “great guy.”
Additionally, in a text message shared with the Washington Post, Fulcher doubled down on his departure being voluntary, calling it “perfectly amicable” despite rumors of his firing. Moreover, the Pentagon reportedly has not yet chosen a replacement for Fulcher, who has also not made it clear where he will be working in the future.
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