U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing heightened scrutiny after revelations surfaced that he shared sensitive military details about a March attack on Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis through a private Signal chat that included his wife, brother, and personal lawyer, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The disclosure of a second unclassified Signal group chat raises serious concerns about Hegseth’s handling of sensitive information at a time when the Pentagon is already grappling with a widening internal leak investigation. The chat, created during Hegseth’s confirmation process to discuss administrative matters, reportedly contained details about the schedule of air strikes against Houthi targets.
This follows an earlier embarrassment when The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was mistakenly included in another Signal chat involving senior Trump administration officials, revealing similarly sensitive information.
Hegseth’s wife, Jennifer, a former Fox News producer, has previously attended sensitive meetings with foreign military officials, including a March meeting with Britain’s defense secretary where she was photographed seated behind her husband. Hegseth’s brother, a Department of Homeland Security liaison to the Pentagon, was also included in the private chat.
The Trump administration has aggressively targeted leaks, a campaign Hegseth has championed during his tenure. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell dismissed the controversy, accusing the media of relying on “disgruntled former employees” and alleging a bias against Trump allies.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly echoed this sentiment, suggesting that recently fired Pentagon officials were attempting to undermine the administration’s agenda.
Democratic leaders quickly called for Hegseth’s resignation. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated that Hegseth had “put lives at risk” and criticized President Trump for not taking action. Senator Tammy Duckworth, a decorated Iraq War veteran, demanded that Hegseth resign “in disgrace.”
The backlash comes just days after Hegseth adviser Dan Caldwell was escorted from the Pentagon following his implication in the leak probe. Caldwell, once named the Secretary’s point person in the first Signal chat, denounced the circumstances of his departure on social media, calling the accusations against him “baseless.” Two other officials, Darin Selnick and Colin Carroll, were also placed on administrative leave and fired. It is understood that Hegseth’s future at the Pentagon is also questioned as investigations continue into the handling of classified information.
