U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared details about a March airstrike on Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis in a chat group. The group included his wife, brother, and personal lawyer, as confirmed by an insider. This leak raises concerns about Hegseth’s use of an unclassified messaging system to share such sensitive details. The timing is especially problematic, as it follows the recent removal of senior Pentagon officials due to an internal leak investigation.
Details of the Leaked Conversation
The second Signal chat had about a dozen participants. It included information similar to what The Atlantic revealed last month, after editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to a chat with senior Trump administration officials. This embarrassing incident exposed high-level discussions. The source explained that the chat had been created during Hegseth’s confirmation process to discuss administrative matters, not military strategies. However, it still contained specific details about the airstrike’s timeline.
Hegseth’s Personal Connections to the Pentagon
Hegseth’s wife, Jennifer, a former Fox News producer, has attended sensitive military meetings. Public Pentagon photos show her seated behind Hegseth during a March meeting with his British counterpart. Additionally, Hegseth’s brother works as a liaison between the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon.
Growing Calls for Hegseth’s Removal
The leak has led to calls for Hegseth’s dismissal. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer posted on X, saying, “We keep learning how Pete Hegseth put lives at risk… Pete Hegseth must be fired.” Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran, also demanded Hegseth’s resignation, stating that he “must resign in disgrace.”
Internal Pentagon Challenges
This new revelation follows the removal of Dan Caldwell, one of Hegseth’s key advisers, from the Pentagon. Caldwell was escorted out as part of an investigation into leaks. Although not widely known, Caldwell played an important role for Hegseth, acting as the Pentagon’s point person in the initial Signal chat. Caldwell expressed frustration over his departure, writing on X: “We are incredibly disappointed by the manner in which our service at the Department of Defense ended… Unnamed Pentagon officials have slandered our character with baseless attacks.”
Firing of Additional Officials
Following Caldwell’s removal, two more Pentagon officials were put on administrative leave and fired. Darin Selnick and Colin Carroll, senior staffers, were dismissed on Friday as part of the ongoing investigation into the leaks.
