Pete Hegseth’s leaked Signal chats: All you need to know  | World News

The US Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, is facing massive scrutiny after it was revealed that he shared sensitive details about American airstrikes in Yemen in a private Signal chat that included his wife, brother, and personal lawyer. The leak, confirmed multiple media outlets including CBS and CNN, sparked new concerns about Hegseth’s judgment, the security of US military operations, and the culture of secrecy under the Trump adminration.On March 15, Hegseth sent messages over the encrypted app Signal revealing operational details about US strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. The messages included flight schedules for American Hornets, a detail that experts say could have jeopardised the mission and lives of personnel involved.
The recipients of these messages were not military commanders or Cabinet officials but three close associates: his wife Jennifer (a former Fox News producer with no government role), his brother Phil (a Department of Defence official), and his personal attorney, Tim Parlatore (also a Pentagon appointee).
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The exence of this second group chat, which operated on Hegseth’s personal phone, was first reported The New York Times.
This group chat was originally formed during Hegseth’s contentious confirmation process as a way for allies to coordinate responses. However, Hegseth continued using the chat even after assuming office, sharing sensitive updates in a group that eventually expanded to include more than a dozen individuals.
A pattern of recklessness?
This revelation follows an earlier incident involving a separate Signal group in which top Trump adminration officials discussed military operations, including strikes against the Houthis. That group was exposed when National Security Adviser Mike Waltz makenly added Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor of The Atlantic, to a message chain. The resulting fallout led to calls for accountability and an ongoing investigation the Pentagon’s acting inspector general.
The White House inss that no classified information was shared in either chat. But the bar for mishandling national security material doesn’t require formal classification, just recklessness, poor judgment, or deliberate disclosure of sensitive operational details.Story continues below this ad
Some of Hegseth’s own allies appear to have lost faith. His former press secretary, John Ullyot, and three senior defence officials fired last week—Dan Caldwell, Darin Selnick, and Colin Carroll, in a joint statement after their firing raised alarms about his decision-making. Critics say the leak is just the latest in a series of lapses that suggest Hegseth is unfit to run the Pentagon.
Political firestorm
The response from lawmakers has been swift and fierce. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for Hegseth’s removal, saying, “We keep learning how Pete Hegseth put lives at risk. But Trump is still too weak to fire him.” Senator Tammy Duckworth, a decorated Iraq War veteran, said Hegseth “must resign in disgrace.”
Hegseth, for his part, has not apologised. In his first public statement since the scandal broke, he took to Twitter to attack his critics: “Your agenda is illegals, trans & DEI — all of which are no longer allowed” at the Defense Department, he wrote in response to the Democratic National Committee.
Who is Pete Hegseth?
Hegseth’s ascent from conservative pundit to Defence Secretary has been accompanied a trail of controversy. Born in Minnesota and educated at Princeton, Hegseth served in Guantánamo Bay and Iraq before entering into conservative activism. He ran two nonprofit advocacy groups, Veterans for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America, but was forced out amid allegations of financial mismanagement and misconduct.Story continues below this ad
A whle-blower report reviewed the New Yorker from his time at Concerned Veterans for America alleges frequent intoxication while on the job, and a separate letter accuses him of chanting “Kill All Muslims” during a 2015 bar incident while on an official tour.
His nomination as Defence Secretary in the Trump adminration raised questions, especially after it emerged that Hegseth had settled a 2017 sexual assault allegation without informing the transition team. He has denied wrongdoing and was never charged, but the nondisclosure itself speaks volumes for his judgement.
2017, Hegseth had become a full-time Fox News weekend host, a role that cemented his relationship with Trump.
Why this matters
The leaks raise serious concerns about how military operations are being managed at the highest levels and whether partisan loyalty is being prioritised over competence and security. The use of unsecured messaging apps to coordinate or leak sensitive military actions could compromise national defence.Story continues below this ad
For now, an investigation is underway, but Hegseth remains in his position. Whether he will be held accountable, or whether the adminration will close ranks to protect one of its most vocal loyals, remains to be seen.