President Donald Trump is standing by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Monday. This comes after fresh reports surfaced alleging Hegseth shared sensitive details of a US military operation in Yemen via an unclassified Signal messaging group. The private chat reportedly included his wife, brother, and personal lawyer — a revelation that adds to growing scrutiny over Hegseth’s handling of classified information.
What is the new Signal chat scandal?
The scandal deepened as CNN and The New York Times reported the existence of a second Signal chat where Hegseth disclosed operational details of a March attack on Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels. This leak emerges at a particularly sensitive time, with several senior Pentagon officials recently ousted in an internal investigation into leaks. Critics warn that the use of an unclassified messaging app for such discussions leaves US military plans vulnerable to cyber-espionage and foreign surveillance.
According to insiders, the Signal chat in question was created during Hegseth’s Senate confirmation hearings earlier this year, when he faced allegations of sexual misconduct and workplace misconduct. Originally intended as a strategy group for his inner circle, the chat persisted well after his confirmation as defense secretary — a move that, according to experts, crossed ethical and national security lines.
Did Hegseth leak Yemen attack details to family?
Prior to the latest revelations, The Atlantic inadvertently gained access to a separate Signal chat involving Trump’s top national security aides. Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly added to the group, where participants reportedly discussed potential military strikes in Yemen. The discovery of this chat raised serious concerns about lax security protocols at the highest levels of the US defense establishment.
Sources told CNN that over a dozen individuals were part of Hegseth’s second Signal chat. Notably, it included his brother Phil and attorney Tim Parlatore — both of whom reportedly hold positions within the Department of Defense — as well as Hegseth’s wife, Jennifer, who has no official role or security clearance.