On April 20, 2023, it was reported that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth disclosed details of a March military operation against Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis in a private messaging group. This group included his wife, brother, and personal lawyer, raising significant concerns regarding his use of an unclassified messaging system to share sensitive national security information.
Sources familiar with the situation informed Reuters that this second chat, created during Hegseth's confirmation process, included approximately a dozen participants. Although it was intended to address administrative matters, it inadvertently contained critical information regarding the schedules of air strikes, prompting questions about the security protocols followed by high-ranking officials.
Hegseth's wife, Jennifer, a former producer for Fox News, has been present at sensitive military meetings, as evidenced by publicly released Pentagon images. Notably, during a March meeting with his British counterpart, she was photographed seated behind him, indicating her close association with Hegseth's role at the Pentagon.
Additionally, Hegseth's brother serves as a liaison for the Department of Homeland Security to the Pentagon, further intertwining family ties with governmental affairs.
The Trump administration has been actively pursuing leaks within the Pentagon, a mission supported by Hegseth. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell criticized the media for allegedly relying on disgruntled former employees as sources, claiming that these narratives aim to undermine President Trump's agenda. In a statement on X, Parnell asserted, "We have already achieved so much for the American warfighter and will never back down."
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly echoed these sentiments, suggesting that recently terminated personnel were distorting the truth to alleviate their own grievances and sabotage the President's initiatives.
The timing of this revelation is particularly tumultuous for Hegseth, as many Democratic lawmakers are calling for his resignation. Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran, stated that Hegseth should resign in disgrace, highlighting the gravity of the situation.
A U.S. official at the Pentagon expressed skepticism regarding how Hegseth could retain his position following these disclosures. This incident comes on the heels of Dan Caldwell, one of Hegseth's top advisors, being escorted from the Pentagon amid an investigation into ongoing leaks within the Department of Defense.
Despite his lower profile, Caldwell played a vital role for Hegseth and was previously identified as the Pentagon's point person in the initial Signal chat. Following his departure, additional staff members such as Darin Selnick and Colin Carroll were placed on administrative leave and subsequently fired, indicating a broader shakeup within the Pentagon’s leadership.
Caldwell expressed disappointment over his exit, stating on X that he felt their character had been unfairly maligned by unnamed Pentagon officials. As investigations continue, the scrutiny surrounding Hegseth's conduct and the implications of unclassified communications remain a focal point of concern for national security.
Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart, with additional contributions from Valerie Volcovici and Nandita Bose.
