Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth Shared Sensitive Yemen War Plans With Family In Signal Chat: Reports

Washington: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is under scrutiny after reports claimed that he shared sensitive details of a military operation targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels in a private Signal group chat that included his family members and personal lawyer.

According to a report by Reuters, the chat, allegedly created during Hegseth’s confirmation process for administrative purposes, included about a dozen participants. Among them were Hegseth’s wife, Jennifer, who is a former Fox News producer, his brother, who serves as a liaison at the Department of Homeland Security, and his personal attorney.

Leaked Details and Hegseth's Family Involvement

Sources told Reuters that the conversation included “details of the schedule of the air strikes,” raising new concerns about the mishandling of classified military information.

This is the second time Hegseth’s use of Signal has come under scrutiny. Last month, The Atlantic revealed that its editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was mistakenly added to a separate Signal chat containing high-level national security discussions. Images posted publicly by the Pentagon have also featured Jennifer Hegseth attending sensitive meetings with foreign military officials, including one in March with the UK defense minister, where she was seen seated directly behind her husband.

Democratic Lawmakers Demand Hegseth's Resignation

The controversy comes amidst a turbulent time for the Pentagon. Several senior officials, including Hegseth adviser Dan Caldwell, were recently dismissed following an internal probe into leaks. Caldwell, who was reportedly designated by Hegseth as a key Pentagon contact in an earlier chat, was escorted from the building earlier this week.

“We are incredibly disappointed by the manner in which our service at the Department of Defense ended,” Caldwell posted on X (formerly Twitter), claiming he had been defamed.

Amid the uproar, Democratic lawmakers also demanded Hegseth’s resignation. “Pete Hegseth must be fired,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on X. Senator Tammy Duckworth echoed the call, declaring he “must resign in disgrace.”

Despite the criticism, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell dismissed the allegations, accusing the media of “enthusiastically taking the grievances of disgruntled former employees as the sole sources for their article," as quoted by Reuters.

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