U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is under increased scrutiny after it was revealed that he allegedly shared classified military information related to operations in Yemen through a private Signal group chat, according to a CNN report. The group reportedly included his wife, his brother, and his attorney—individuals who may not have had the appropriate security clearances to receive such information.
CNN cited three sources familiar with the situation who confirmed that this messaging group was used as an unofficial backchannel to discuss planned strikes against Houthi targets.
The revelation has further deepened concerns about Hegseth’s judgment, particularly during a period when his leadership is being questioned. Recently, Hegseth removed several high-level staff members, including Dan Caldwell, his chief adviser; Darin Selnick, the deputy chief of staff; and Colin Carroll, who served as chief of staff to the deputy secretary of defense.
John Ullyot, who previously served as Hegseth’s press secretary, condemned the situation in a comment obtained by CNN. “It’s been a month of total chaos at the Pentagon. From leaks of sensitive operational plans to mass firings, the dysfunction is now a major distraction for the president — who deserves better from his senior leadership,” he said.
Unlike another chat previously used by Hegseth to coordinate with other Cabinet officials on defense strategies—which is now being investigated by the Pentagon’s acting inspector general—this newer group functioned independently and continued to operate via Hegseth’s personal device even after his confirmation.
Similar to the earlier chat, this group also contained information related to military action against Houthi forces. Its existence was exposed when The Atlantic mistakenly received classified communications intended for internal national security personnel. The mix-up occurred due to a blunder by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who accidentally added an unintended recipient.
Though the presence of Phil Hegseth and Tim Parlatore—both of whom are employed within the Department of Defense—raised relatively few concerns, questions have been directed at the inclusion of Hegseth’s wife, Jennifer, who does not have an official government role. Reports suggest she had been present at confidential meetings early in Hegseth’s tenure. Whether every participant in the group chat had the necessary clearance remains uncertain.
{Matzav.com}