U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing renewed scrutiny after allegedly sharing classified information related to military operations in Yemen through a private Signal messaging group. This marks the second leak incident tied to Hegseth and has intensified an ongoing Pentagon investigation into unauthorized disclosures.
The private Signal group, reportedly created in January before Hegseth’s official confirmation as defense secretary, included his wife Jennifer — a former Fox News producer — his brother Phil Hegseth, and his personal attorney Tim Parlatore, who also holds an advisory role within the Pentagon.
Hegseth shared specific details regarding the March 15 airstrikes on Yemen, including flight schedules for F/A-18 Hornet jets involved in the mission against Houthi targets. The disclosure raises serious concerns over operational security and the breach of protocols governing classified information.
This is the second known incident involving Hegseth. Last month, an American magazine revealed that its editor-in-chief, had been inadvertently added to another Signal group discussing similar Yemen operations. That group reportedly included National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, sparking political backlash and prompting an investigation by the Pentagon’s Inspector General.
President Donald Trump has thus far defended his administration’s handling of the Yemen strikes and downplayed the severity of the leak, shifting the blame for the earlier breach to Waltz. Despite bipartisan calls for accountability, the administration has resisted high-level dismissals.
In the wake of the leaks, three senior Pentagon officials — Darin Selnick, Senior Advisor Dan Caldwell, and Deputy Chief of Staff Colin Carroll — have been placed on leave. In a joint statement issued Sunday, the trio claimed they were being unfairly targeted:
“At this time, we still have not been told what exactly we were investigated for, if there is still an active investigation, or if there was even a real investigation of ‘leaks’ to begin with,” the statement read.
Despite the mounting controversy, Hegseth has denied wrongdoing, telling reporters: “Nobody was texting war plans, and that’s all I have to say about that.” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who was reportedly part of the earlier Signal group, defended the exchanges during a Senate hearing, insisting no sensitive war strategies were improperly shared.
The Pentagon has yet to issue an official statement on the latest revelations. The Inspector General’s investigation remains active, as pressure grows for transparency and potential disciplinary action.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)
