The Army agency tasked with protecting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his family is under serious strain, forcing the group to reallocate resources from criminal investigations. The Army’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) works to protect Hegseth, 45, his family members and residences.

It also acts as the Army’s police force, investigating felony crimes and violations of U.S. military code. Sources familiar with the operation say the multi-million dollar initiative to protect Hegseth and his family has diverted agents from essential investigations the Washington Post reports.

The agents have been sent to protect Hegseth’s properties in Tennessee , Minnesota and D.C. They have also been tasked with the protection of the former Fox News host’s seven children, split among three different wives.

‘I’ve never seen this many security teams for one guy,’ one CID official told the Post. ‘Nobody has.’ While Hegseth enjoys outings with his family, a phalanx of security can often be spotted on the perimeters of the secretary and his brood.

In one instance, when the Daily Mail spotted Hegseth out to eat in South West D.C., over half a dozen security personnel were spotted surrounding the Pentagon boss, his young children, and wife, Jennifer Hegseth. ‘We have complete inability to achieve our most basic missions,’ another person familiar with the matter told the Washington Post.

But the Pentagon pushed back on the report. ‘Any action pertaining to the security of Secretary Hegseth and his family has been in response to the threat environment and at the full recommendation the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID),’ Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell told the Daily Mail in a comment.

‘When left-wing blogs like the Washington Post continue to dox cabinet secretaries’ security protocols and movements, it puts lives at risk.’ In addition to Hegseth CID is also tasked with defending other top military personnel.

The protection of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Army secretary, and other top Pentagon officials is also the responsibility of CID agents. Typically, around 150 of the 1,500 CID agents have served on VIP security details, multiple sources revealed.

However, when Hegseth took over, a request for additional agents went out. One official said the number of CID staffers on the VIP details is now ‘400 and going up.’ A separate source said it’s ‘over 500.’