US Defense Secretary shared military plans in private chat

Washington DC

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is under scrutiny after sharing sensitive details about a planned military operation in Yemen through a private group chat that included his family and close associates. According to the New York Times, Hegseth revealed information about the strike targeting the Houthis on March 15 via a Signal chat on his personal phone.

The chat, initially created during Hegseth's confirmation hearings to coordinate with his allies, continued to be used afterward, involving over a dozen people, including his wife, brother, and personal lawyer. The information shared raised concerns about the secretary's judgment, with some of his former advisers, including his press secretary and three senior officials he recently fired, criticizing his actions.

This incident is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding Hegseth’s leadership at the Pentagon. His former press secretary, John Ullyot, described the situation as chaotic, calling it a major distraction for the president.

In addition to the private Signal chat, Hegseth is under investigation for using a similar chat to communicate military plans with Cabinet officials. The Defense Department’s acting inspector general is conducting an evaluation of Hegseth’s use of unclassified messaging applications to discuss military actions, following a request from the Senate Armed Services Committee. The leak of these details has raised serious concerns about operational security, particularly after the information was accidentally sent to a journalist.