In March, before the United States initiated military strikes in Yemen, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reported to have disseminated detailed information about the planned attacks to members of a private Signal group chat, which he personally created. This group included his wife, his brother, and approximately a dozen other individuals. The existence of this private chat has been verified by The Guardian. Sources indicate that Hegseth shared sensitive information, including the flight schedules of F/A-18 Hornets that were to strike Houthi rebel targets, with this group, mirroring information shared with a separate Signal group established by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, comprised of top officials.
The revelations about Waltz’s Signal group, where detailed attack plans were also discussed, were made public last month by Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, who was accidentally added to the group by Waltz. The existence of this second Signal group, where Hegseth shared military plans, is likely to further intensify scrutiny relating to his capability to manage the Department of Defense, an institution operating on matters of international significance.
Two senior advisers to Hegseth – Dan Caldwell and Darin Selnick – who were involved in the private chat, were dismissed last week following accusations of leaking unauthorized information. Hegseth has faced criticism before for including his wife, Jennifer, a former Fox News producer, in sensitive meetings with foreign leaders, and for the involvement of his younger brother, Phil, as a senior Pentagon adviser.
Hegseth is said to have utilized his private phone to access this Signal group chat, rather than a government-issued device. This secondary group chat has been confirmed by multiple sources, with CNN reporting that three individuals familiar with the chat corroborated this information.
The emergence of this private chat is adding fuel to the growing criticism of Hegseth’s leadership at the Pentagon, which is characterized by leaks and firings, distracting from the president’s agenda. John Ullyot, Hegseth’s former press secretary, has written an opinion piece citing the month as one of “total chaos” at the Pentagon.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/20/pete-hegseth-signal-chat-yemen-attack
