Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a Tuesday interview that his former top aides, who were fired last week amid a probe into leaks at the Pentagon, could face charges at the end of the investigation.

The Pentagon has a leak problem, and Defense Department figures are not shying away from accusing those they believe to be responsible.

A feud between the secretary's advisers and his chief of staff created backbiting and distrust that has erupted into the open.