Reports surface after defence chief faced scrutiny last month over discussions of military plans in a different group chat.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is reported to have shared details about planned bombing raids on Yemen in another Signal group chat, which included his wife, brother, and personal lawyer, according to US media.
The reports emerge after Hegseth came under scrutiny last month when it was revealed that the defence chief had shared details about upcoming air strikes on Houthi rebels in a Signal group chat that a journalist from The Atlantic magazine had been accidentally included in.
Hegseth’s discussions in the second group chat also involved planned strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, as cited by multiple unnamed sources in reports from The New York Times and CNN.
The information shared by Hegseth in the second chat reportedly included “flight schedules for the F/A-18 Hornets targeting the Houthis in Yemen,” according to sources with knowledge of the chat.
Hergseth had set up the second group chat before his confirmation as defence secretary to coordinate with members of his personal and professional inner circle, as outlined by the outlets.
Hegseth’s brother, Phil, and his personal lawyer, Tim Parlatore, are both employed at the Defense Department, but his wife, Jennifer, a former Fox News producer, is not employed by the department.
The Pentagon’s acting inspector general is currently investigating the circumstances that led to the disclosure of military information in the first Signal group chat, which included top officials in President Donald Trump’s administration.
The recent controversy surrounding Hegseth’s leadership follows a week of upheaval at the Pentagon, with four members of Hegseth’s inner circle, including his former press secretary John Ullyot, having been removed amid a probe into information leaks.
Ullyot stated that the Pentagon is in “disarray” and “total chaos” under Hegseth’s leadership, describing the dysfunction as a major distraction for the president.
Ullyot’s resignation comes after the departures of Colin Carroll, chief of staff to Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg; Darin Selnick, Hegseth’s deputy chief of staff; and Dan Caldwell, one of Hegseth’s aides.
In a statement, Carroll, Selnick, and Caldwell alleged they had been slandered and subjected to “baseless attacks” before their dismissal, asserting their commitment to information security throughout their service.
The three men expressed their lack of knowledge regarding the reasons behind their investigation, the status of the investigation, or if there was an actual leak inquiry to begin with.
The reports emerge after Hegseth came under scrutiny last month when it was revealed that the defence chief had shared details about upcoming air strikes on Houthi rebels in a Signal group chat that a journalist from The Atlantic magazine had been accidentally included in.
Hegseth’s discussions in the second group chat also involved planned strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, as cited by multiple unnamed sources in reports from The New York Times and CNN.
The information shared by Hegseth in the second chat reportedly included “flight schedules for the F/A-18 Hornets targeting the Houthis in Yemen,” according to sources with knowledge of the chat.
Hergseth had set up the second group chat before his confirmation as defence secretary to coordinate with members of his personal and professional inner circle, as outlined by the outlets.
Hegseth’s brother, Phil, and his personal lawyer, Tim Parlatore, are both employed at the Defense Department, but his wife, Jennifer, a former Fox News producer, is not employed by the department.
The Pentagon’s acting inspector general is currently investigating the circumstances that led to the disclosure of military information in the first Signal group chat, which included top officials in President Donald Trump’s administration.
The recent controversy surrounding Hegseth’s leadership follows a week of upheaval at the Pentagon, with four members of Hegseth’s inner circle, including his former press secretary John Ullyot, having been removed amid a probe into information leaks.
Ullyot stated that the Pentagon is in “disarray” and “total chaos” under Hegseth’s leadership, describing the dysfunction as a major distraction for the president.
Ullyot’s resignation comes after the departures of Colin Carroll, chief of staff to Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg; Darin Selnick, Hegseth’s deputy chief of staff; and Dan Caldwell, one of Hegseth’s aides.
In a statement, Carroll, Selnick, and Caldwell alleged they had been slandered and subjected to “baseless attacks” before their dismissal, asserting their commitment to information security throughout their service.
The three men expressed their lack of knowledge regarding the reasons behind their investigation, the status of the investigation, or if there was an actual leak inquiry to begin with.
