Jennifer Hegseth, the wife of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, was paid last year by Watchtower Strategy, a Trump-connected Washington consulting firm that counted Lockheed Martin as a client the same year, according to Hegseth's annual financial disclosure report, as Politico's Daniel Lippman first reported on Wednesday.

The disclosure lists her consulting work for the firm but not how much she was paid, according to Politico. Jennifer Hegseth, a former longtime Fox News producer, is the daughter of a late Lockheed Martin executive.

Watchtower was founded in January 2025 and sells strategic advice, advocacy and communications work. Its roster includes former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Republican operatives Jeff Miller, Arthur Schwartz, Dan Conston and Brian O. Walsh. Lockheed was a Watchtower client last year, according to POLITICO Influence; asked whether it still is, a Lockheed spokesperson didn't answer directly, saying only that the company routinely works with a number of firms.

Watchtower says she was hired for her TV contacts, not her husband's job. A spokesperson said she helped the firm navigate conservative TV media and "has not interfaced with any clients nor does she provide any advice to Watchtower on defense matters." The firm declined to say whether she still works there.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the Hegseths are "in full compliance with all ethics laws and regulations." Jennifer Hegseth didn't respond to Politico's request for comment. She has been an unusually visible Pentagon spouse, and accompanied her husband to meetings with Republican senators during his confirmation fight.

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who sat on the House Armed Services Committee and was Trump's first pick for attorney general in 2024, wasn't buying it.

"On The Chopping Block"

The scoop landed on a day when Republicans were already looking for someone to blame for Tuesday's wipeout, and Hegseth's name kept coming up. Trump has been asking advisers whether Hegseth should stay, multiple sources told CBS News; others said he hasn't decided to replace him. One source floated Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who could be confirmed in the lame duck and take over once his term ends Jan. 5. Some White House aides expect the blame to land instead on CENTCOM's Adm. Brad Cooper and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, who advised on the Iran war, CBS reported.