Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly shared sensitive military operation details about planned strikes on Yemen in a private Signal chat group that included family members and personal associates, according to a New York Times investigation published Sunday.
The chat group, named "Defense | Team Huddle," was created by Hegseth himself and included approximately 13 people, including his wife Jennifer (a former Fox News producer), his brother Phil, and his personal lawyer, along with other close contacts.
The shared information reportedly contained specific details about the March 15 military strikes against Houthi rebels, including flight schedules for F/A-18 Hornet aircraft. Hegseth used his personal phone rather than a government device to access the chat group.
This revelation follows last month's disclosure of a separate Signal group chat incident where similar operational details were shared among top Trump administration officials. That group was created by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and was accidentally exposed when Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly added.
The new disclosures come amid growing scrutiny of security protocols at the Pentagon. Last week, two senior advisers to Hegseth - Dan Caldwell and Darin Selnick - were removed from their positions following allegations of unauthorized information leaks. The Department of Defense has placed two senior officials on administrative leave as part of an ongoing investigation into unauthorized disclosure of information.
Critics have questioned the appropriateness of sharing sensitive operational information with individuals who lack official roles in military planning. Hegseth has previously faced criticism for including his wife in sensitive meetings with foreign leaders regarding the Ukraine war.
While a U.S. official maintained that no classified information was shared in the chat, the incident has sparked renewed concerns about information security practices at the highest levels of the Defense Department.
Former Pentagon press secretary John Ullyot described the situation as "total chaos" in a Politico opinion piece, noting that the dysfunction has become "a major distraction for the president."