Pete Hegseth speaks at a press conference in Washington DC. REUTERS
Before the U.S. carried out military strikes in Yemen this March, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly shared sensitive details about the operation in a private Signal chat group. He created this group himself and added his wife, brother, and about a dozen other personal contacts.
Sources say Hegseth sent them the same information he gave to another Signal chat of top government officials. That group was created by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. It included flight schedules for F/A-18 Hornets that were set to hit Houthi rebel sites in Yemen.
News of the first official Signal chat came out last month after a journalist was mistakenly added to it. Now, this second, more private group chat raises fresh concerns. Many are questioning Hegseth’s ability to handle such a huge and critical role at the Pentagon.
The chat group also included two of Hegseth’s senior advisers — Dan Caldwell and Darin Selnick. Both were recently fired. They were accused of leaking information without approval.
Hegseth has already faced backlash for allowing his wife, Jennifer, to attend high-level meetings. She once joined a session with British officials discussing the war in Ukraine. Jennifer used to work as a Fox News producer.
His younger brother, Phil Hegseth, is also involved. He works as a senior adviser at the Pentagon and connects with the Department of Homeland Security. Critics question why either Jennifer or Phil needed access to classified military plans.
Sources say Hegseth didn’t use a government-issued phone. Instead, he shared messages about the strike using his personal mobile device. That also raises serious concerns about security.
Later on Sunday, three people familiar with the chat confirmed to reporters that Hegseth used the private group to send out strike details before the attacks began. Another source confirmed the same to a different news agency. That source said the private chat included 13 people.
Soon after this news broke, Hegseth’s former press secretary, John Ullyot, wrote an opinion article. He said the Pentagon has been in “total chaos” for the past month. He pointed to leaks and sudden firings. Ullyot said this confusion has become a big problem for the president, who deserves a more stable leadership team.
The latest revelations add to a growing list of controversies around Hegseth’s leadership. Many now wonder if his personal connections and style of communication could risk national security.
